6 years later
by VampPrincess1007
Summary: New start, new school, new story, same cullen family. This takes place 6 years after breaking dawn. I am new to this so please help me out by letting me know your thoughts. I am no Stephenie Meyer but I love her books so much, I couldn't have them end...
1. Chapter 1

**This is my adaptation of a fifth book in the fabulous Stephanie Meyers "Twilight saga". Unfortunately I do not own the rights to any of the twilight books or characters. I am just not that lucky or talented. But like I say, I loved her work so much that I wanted to have a go at continuing the adventures.**

**Please let me know what you think.**

Chapter 1 – New Start

Green flew past us on all sides. Once upon a time, I would have been nervous, no terrified of the speed. Not now though. That time was a whole other life ago. Now, speed was natural, easy, fun. I understood what I had not all those years ago, and now I could relax. I was in no danger. Everything was as it should be.

The drive raced past us and the trees started to thin. Then suddenly, the evergreen cave that we were racing through, opened out in to a large clearing. We were still surrounded by large trees, but they were not as over hanging as they had been along the drive.

The shiny Aston Martin wove round the outskirts of the meadow towards a large four door garage. The engine purred quietly as we pulled up next to the familiar yellow Porsche. We got out the car to look at our new home. I walked round the hood of the car at a relatively subdued pace. When I reached Edwards side, he wound his arms around me and kissed me lightly on the forehead.

"Well Mrs Cullen, what do you think?"

Being addressed as 'Mrs Cullen' didn't bother me as I had once thought it would. In the past, I had shuddered at the thought of marriage, but now, I was filled with joy and revelry when I thought of my husband and the forever that we had in front of us. The forever that I would use to do everything I could to at least try and show him just how much I loved him.

"I love it," I said with a content smile. "Esme truly has out done herself, its perfect."

It was definitely a grand house; Old but new, all at the same time. The three storeys of white stone stood out against the green foliage backdrop. There were five small steps up to an oversized porch with a beautiful swinging bench seat, large enough for four to sit on together. I imagined a lazy evening sat there, content in Edwards arms, swinging together watching the sun set in the trees. Perfect. That was my life now. I had everything that I had ever wanted and so much more than that.

Before I even knew he had moved, I was up in his arms, and he was carrying me effortlessly up the porch steps, and through the ornately decorated front door. I didn't take my eyes off his, as we entered the bright hall. I was completely captivated by his face, his perfect skin, his perfect lips, his perfect eyes. His beautiful liquid gold eyes still dazzled me, just as they had done when I had first met him.

"Thresholds are part of my job description," We both laughed, and the sound echoed around the acoustics of the hall. He placed me gently back down to the ground, but did not relinquish his hold on me. The room melted around me when his lips met mine, and we crushed ourselves to each other. My bliss was abruptly interrupted by a pronounced cough, coming from the intruder stood in the doorway at the far end of the hall.

"There is a time and a place for that." He chuckled. I quickly broke away from the kiss, and looked over in the direction of the familiar voice.

"Sorry Carlisle," I said with a giggle.

"Young Love, it's a wonderful thing, but you really should set a better example for your daughter. Is that what you would want to see of Renesmee?"

I huffed. That really did kill the mood. I indubitably did not want to be thinking of that right now, and neither did Edward. I heard his teeth grind together.

"Thanks Carlisle, I had just managed to distract myself from that." He said with an exasperated voice.

"I'm sorry, Edward. But I think it is something that you two will definitely have to talk about, however much the idea displeases you. Renesmee is fully matured now and…"

"Please Carlisle, not now! I really don't want to think about that right at this moment." Edward pleaded. He had evidently had enough. I guessed from his expression, that Carlisle was drawing on memories of just the sort of behaviour that Edward had been so desperately trying to block out.

He had become increasingly stressed with his mind reading ability of late. Well, since Renesmee's 7th birthday actually. Renesmee was not exactly what you would call a 'normal' 7 year old. She had indeed reached maturity, and now had the physical statute of a fully grown 18 year old. Her rapid growth had been a worry to us all at first, but with the events that had passed just a few months after her birth, our minds had all been put at rest.

When Alice, my clairvoyant sister-in-law, had had a vision of the Volturi, the Italian 'peace keepers' of our world, coming to destroy the entire Cullen Coven, we had all been parted. Alice and her mate Jasper had left us, well so they had led us to believe. Her parting message had been to round up as many of our friends to bare witness for us. The Volturi had chosen to intercede after Irena, an old friend of the Cullen Family, had gone to them, after mistaking Renesmee to be an 'Immortal Child'. Immortal children were an unforgivable creation which there was only one punishment for. Death.

This justification had been pretence for the actions of Aro, Caius and Marcus. Aro was a collector, and he sought to 'collect' members of my family who processed talents that they desired, in particular, Edward and Alice. The Volturi had weapons of their own. They had planned to use Jane, Alec and Chelsea to break the emotional ties that held us all together, incapacitate us, and then destroy us all one by one, saving the ones that they would welcome into the guard.

Their efforts had been thwarted though. Our collection of witnesses had made them falter, and Carlisle and Edward were able to explain the story of Renesmee. Through Edwards thoughts and memories, Aro saw it all. How I had conceived, carried and given birth to Renesmee when I was human. How Edward had changed me to save my life after her birth. How she had grown so much, so fast. He saw everything, and knew it was all true. Aro had been intrigued, but Caius' lust for the end of the Cullen's was so great, that they sort further charges to bring against us all.

'Renesmee was a danger as the unknown', had been their next angle; that her existence was a threat to the secrecy of our kind. But just as they were about to pass judgement, Alice and Jasper returned with Kachiri, Huilen and Nahuel. It transpired that, Nahuel also was half human, half vampire, just like Renesmee. He had matured within 7 years or so after his birth, and he was then, one hundred and fifty years old. The Volturi had no answer to this, and so they resigned themselves to this outcome, and returned to Italy.

We had heard nothing from them since that day, and just like Nahuel, Renesmee grew and matured over the next 6 years.

We celebrated Renesmee's seventh birthday with all of our family and friends. Nearly everyone who had stood with us, on that snowy day all those years ago, came to see her. The Denali coven, Eleazar, Carmen, Kate, Tanya and the once 'nomad' Garrett: the Amazon coven, Zachiri, Senna and Zafrina: the Egyptians, Amun, Kebi, Benjamin and Tia: the Irish coven, Maggie, Siobhan and Liam. Even Huilen and Nahuel had joined us. Of course Jacob and his pack were there too. Jacob could hardly stay away. His need to be there for, and with, Renesmee had not changed throughout the years, and naturally his pack would not let him be in such close proximity to all those 'bloodsuckers' without backup.

Edward had had a very difficult time that day, and it had not really got any easier. Up until Renesmee's birthday, Jacob had considered himself as nothing more than her protector, her friend, her confidant. But as this particular birthday represented her change into what was affectively adulthood, his thoughts had started to wonder….

This is what had been, and was still, the cause of Edwards stress. He was a father having to endure the thoughts of his only daughters mate. There was no doubt that Renesmee and Jacob would be forever, but that didn't mean that it was easy for Edward to hear about 'how lovely Renesmee looked in those jeans', or see images of his little girls first kiss. I had not been too thrilled with that particular landmark either. I was having a difficult time seeing her as anything other than my beautiful baby girl, my little nudger.

Suddenly I was curious.

"Where is everyone? Where's Renesmee? She and Jake left before we did, I don't think we passed them on our way here," I looked at Edward for reassurance on this statement. He looked at me and shook his head.

"Nessie is in her room, and Jacob has gone out to speak to the rest of the pack. He wanted to make sure that all is ok back home, I think he is still finding the separation difficult."

Even after all these years, the pull of his pack was still a daily difficulty for him to endure. Being a werewolf and the alpha of his pack was part of his life. But he had moved with us, so that we could start afresh when the town folk started taking. The pull of Renesmee was too strong for any kind of separation. Jacob and the rest of the pack both knew, and understood. Imprinting was not something that could be over ruled. For that reason, Jacob had followed us here to the second new beginning of both mine, and Renesmee's lives.

"Alice, Jasper, Emmett and Rosalie have gone out to hunt," Carlisle continued. "Esme has gone to sort out your enrolment in the school here. You all start there next week. That way, it is only a week or so in to the semester."

I groaned. This was an aspect of immortality that I was not sure I would ever get used to. Edward squeezed my shoulders gently.

"Come on, let's go and find Renesmee," He said, obviously trying to distract me from the thoughts of another new school. I agreed, snapping quickly out of my displeasure. "See you later Carlisle," I said over my shoulder, but he was already gone. I heard his quiet footsteps moving further away at a gentle pace.

Edward took my hand, and we walked together up the staircase, and headed in the direction of our daughters thrumming heartbeat.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 – Same Old, Same Old

The hall way was empty. The introduction at the main office, and the orientation that had followed, had taken an unusually long time. It hadn't been helped, by the fact that Emmett had been messing with the lady at the front desk, dazzling her into a dazed confusion with very unnecessary questions. His idea of a funny joke no doubt.

This delay in the start of the day meant that all the other students would be in first period now, and that my appearance in class would not be the discrete entrance that I had hoped for.

"Great," I thought.

Was this ever going to get any easier? Ok, so this was only my second school since my birth, but I was already feeling the monotony of repeating these four years. I understood the need for starting so young; we were able to stay in the same place for a bit longer, rather than constantly moving every couple of years. But even so, the thought of repeating this again, so soon, made me want to cry. Not that that was even possible for me.

I paused at the door, and took a deep breath. The air filled my lungs, and was calming to a degree, but nothing more. I opened the door, and walked slowly in to the little room. As I had expected, there was a brief second of silence, all eyes darted to me, and then the hushed gossiping began. My acute hearing missed none of it though, as I walked over to the untidy desk at the front of the classroom.

"That's one of them…."

"The new kids…."

"…Moved here from Alaska…."

"You should see the others"

"All adopted I heard"

"….She's hot, do you reckon she's single?"

"Hasn't she ever seen the sun?"

"…She better not even look at John or I will tear her to pieces…"

That last one caught my attention. I looked up, quickly scanning the room in the shortest of seconds. I saw a fairly pretty blonde girl, sat at one of the desks in the middle of the room, glaring at me whilst talking to her friend. As our eyes met, I saw a series of emotions, flitter across her face: shock…jealousy…anger…fear. Then she blinked, composing herself, and restoring the glare with even more intensity than before. An obvious defence mechanism, I noted. I had met this type before, and she was nothing that I would let bother me. It was just more annoying than anything else, to have the class divided into 'them' and 'us' so soon in to the semester.

I refocused my attention. The teacher behind the desk was a small squat man, probably not much older than 40, I thought. The brass place that stood at the front of his over crowded desk, told me that this was 'Mr Roberts'.

"Um, Hi…" I said in a voice, that was almost a whisper. I didn't want to startle him, but my efforts were in vane. As he looked up, I heard the sharp intake of breath. Somewhat in appropriate for a teacher, but nothing that I hadn't experienced before. We usually had that affect on people, but I still wasn't used to it. I felt that there should be a deep blush of scarlet spreading over my face right at that moment. He composed himself, and shuffled some of the papers that he had just been busied in.

"You must be Miss Isabella Swan…"

"It's Bella," I corrected automatically.

"Well, Bella, I am Mr Roberts. Welcome to the class. Please take a seat so we can begin," He paused and looked around the room.

"There's a free space there at the back next to Mr Black."

I looked over in the direction that he was now gesturing towards, and I smiled to myself. The dark haired, russet skinned boy was smiling at me, with a welcoming grin.

Keeping my head down, so that my hair hid my face from the endless stares, I moved slightly faster than what was perhaps considered normal, to the empty seat next to Jacob.

"Nice entrance," He said, in his low husky voice. Mr Roberts had begun the lesson now, but I knew that no one but me would have been able to hear Jakes teasing comment.

"Thanks," I retorted sarcastically, as I turned to scowl at him.

He knew how much I hated attention. That had not changed throughout all the years he had known me. He found my reaction to this unavoidable situation, hilarious, and was not afraid to show how much it entertained him. I kicked my foot out under the table and heard it connect with the side of his leg. I saw the grimace on his face, and I couldn't help but chuckle to myself. Revenge like that was sweet, even if it was petty.

I watched his face in my peripheral vision. I was perfectly capable of multitasking. It was easy for me to concentrate on what Mr Roberts was saying, and notice Jakes growing tension.

"You ok, Jake?" I asked, after a short time.

"How's Nessie?"

Of course that was what was bothering him. Jacob and Renesmee had been separated for a whole two days now, the longest time since her birth. This had been part of the story that we were creating for the humans.

_Carlisle and Esme Cullen were husband and wife. They were unable to have children, and so chose to adopt. Rosalie and Jasper Hale, siblings separated in age by less than a year, and myself Bella Swan, had been all been adopted little over five years ago. Emmett, Alice, Edward and Renesmee Cullen, two sets of twins, were the sons and daughters of Carlisle's brother, who had tragically passed away, along with his wife, in a car accident, just last year._

Two sets of twins was a necessity, to help orchestrate the situation, to accommodate us all within the same year at the new school. Edward and I felt that it would be better for Renesmee, given that the more of us in one year meant a greater chance of having at least on family member in each of her classes.

Jacob was just another kid, who had just happened to start at the same school the rest of us would be enrolling, just a short while after the semester began. There were so many in our family now, that it was difficult to formulate a plan that would mean we could all remain with our partners in the public view. This was the easiest story, tragic, but also avoiding incestuous rumours at the same time.

"She's fine, just very excited. She has her first few classes with Emmett and Rosalie, so she won't be on her own," My words did little to smooth the creases, now etched between his brows.

"Jake, she is fine. You will see her in a few hours, just relax."

In truth, I was telling this to myself just as much as I was telling it to him.

"I know. It's just that, I hate to be away from her, it feels wrong."

"Jake, this is how it has to be. Do you think I like being apart from them both like this? It's just something that we have to do."

Jacob huffed, and looked down at the doodles on his page that he had been scribbling absentmindedly. Clearly I would have to make notes for the both of us then. I knew there was nothing more I could do to reassure him. It would simply be a case of passing the time until lunch. I sighed as I opened my note pad, and started to copy the basic maths equations, that were being broken down moronically, on the white board at the front of the class.

Eventually the bell rang, signalling the end of our fifth period, and Jacob and I walked together towards the cafeteria. A mass of wondering eyes greeted us, as we reached the entrance, and I heard Jacob stifle another snigger. I kept my head down once again, and wandered straight over to the table tucked away in the corner. There were already four other people sat around it, attracting as much attention as me and Jacob.

These four were different to the rest of the kids here. These four were all pale, and beautiful, with hypnotic liquid gold eyes. These four did not stare at me when I sat down. The little one, with black spiky hair, looked up as we approached, and greeted me with a warm friendly smile.

"Hey Bella, How was your first morning?"

"Hey Alice, Oh, you know, same old same old,"

She grinned back knowingly at me.

"Hey, guys, this is Jake. He moved here just last month, so he is new like us. I thought he could sit with us, is that ok?"

The act came easy to me.

Alice, Jasper and Emmett all smiled, and scooted their chairs round, so that we could both sit down. Rosalie, the beautiful blonde goddess, sat across the table with her nose wrinkled, and her eyes staring out the window. She and Jacob had never been the best of friends, and I guessed that that would never change. They got by on a 'tolerant' basis. Not much more could be expected, and it was clear that Rosalie was not going to change that for our new charade.

"So, how are you really getting on?" Alice asked, in a low compassionate voice.

"Ugh, it was just as bad as the last time!" I exclaimed.

"I can't stand the first day! It's so embarrassing. All the staring, the whispering, the gossiping… You would think they had never seen anyone like us before."

They all laughed. Bell like echoes reverberated around the cafeteria, a few more heads spun round to stare at the 'newbie's'.

Of course they hadn't seen anyone like us before; there weren't many people like us. And even less like us, which they would have been able to see, and live to tell the tale. These four exquisite beings, sat around the table, were just like me. All were flawless in appearance, graceful in movement, and with skin pale as the winter snow; Vampires. But not the conventional 'Dracula' type Vampires. We were different; we fed on the blood of animals, and abstained from the temptation of human blood. 'Vegetarians', as it had once been described to me. It was for that reason that we were able to integrate ourselves like this.

I was sat with my back to the entrance of the cafeteria, talking to Alice, when I noticed Jacobs head snap up from the conversation he had begun with Emmett. He was staring over my shoulder towards the doorway, and an adoring smile was spreading across his face. I knew, without looking, who it would be. If my heart had still been beating, it would have just skipped a beat. I knew that the person, who had instilled that look on Jacobs face, would be accompanied by the person, who would put that same smile on my face. I turned my head, and exhaled. He still took my breath away, even though breath was something completely unnecessary to me now.

He strolled across the cafeteria, with an expression that mirrored my own. His bronze hair, perfectly quaffed, his beautiful topaz eyes, shining, his stylish shirt and jeans combo, emphasising his astounding physic. Edward Cullen was, without a doubt, the epitome of beauty, and he was mine.

Across the room, I spotted the girl from my first period, staring attentively. She followed him through the sea of hungry students, her eyes wide with wonder. She was just three tables away from where I was sat, and so her conversation ran clear to me across the space.

"Who is that? What is his name? And someone get me his number!" She whispered to the tanned brunette, sat in the seat next to her, all the while, not taking her eyes off Edward.

"What about John?" Her friend questioned, in a discernibly reproachful tone.

"John? John who?"

"Um, John, as in your boyfriend, John!"

"Oh John, yeah… but still, have you seen him?" She nodded her head in the direction of Edward. The brunette girl turned to glance at him across her shoulder.

"Serena, you have a boyfriend!"

"So what Cassie, I can still look. Do you know who he is, or not?"

The brunette girl, Cassie, looked disapprovingly at Serena.

"That's Edward Cullen," she signed in a resigned tone.

"He just moved here, with the rest of his family."

"Edward Cullen…" Serena mused, whilst she stared dreamily at him.

Who's the girl with him? Are they together?" A crease was forming between her eyes, as she furrowed her brow at the thought.

"That's Renesmee, his sister, I think. I don't really know. I guess you can see the resemblance. They were both in Spanish with me, last period."

At the mention of her name, I diverted my attention, to the girl who was strolling gracefully alongside Edward. Renesmee undoubtedly did resemble Edward. That could not possibly be mistaken, which was why we had decided that she had to play the part of Edwards 'Sister'.

Her long bronze curls fell loosely to her waist. Her chocolate brown eyes shone, and her rosy cheeks glowed perfectly against her cream and roses complexion. The eyes and the blush, she had inherited off me. But as they were part of me, in my human days, the resemblance was not nearly so apparent. Renesmee was special in so many ways, the main one being that she was half human, and half vampire.

The two figures, glided through the students, like they were in a carefully choreographed dance. Effortless perfection.

"His sister…Hmmm," Serena's voice broke into my momentary reverie.

"Well that's ok then…"

She seemed to have taken comfort in the ostensible, brother-sister relationship, and I watched her, as a dangerous glint flashed across her face.

I was not threatened by this girl, but that look, I did not like. I felt my fists ball up on the table, and heard a low chuckle emulate from behind me. I didn't have to turn around to know who it was.

Emmett had always found my lack of tolerance for this sort of behaviour hilarious, despite that fact that his reactions were much the same, when faced with the attention that his partner, Rosalie, received wherever she went. A growl rumbled low in my chest, but I fought it back, as I turned to quickly glare at Emmett, who was now trying to hold off the fit of laughter my reaction was causing him.

At that moment, Renesmee and Edward reached the table were we all sat, and took their seats between me and Jacob. Renesmee smiled at Jacob, and he beamed back at her. Jacob was very much the odd one out sat at our table. Although, sat next to Renesmee, his tall tanned physic was a little less prominent than it had been when it had just been him with the five of us.

Jacob stared at Renesmee, with the same look of unequivocal devotion on his face as there had been every day that they had been together. Of course, to this new audience, they had simply 'just met'. I gritted my teeth. Was I the only one that thought this was far too obvious? I caught a glimpse of Edward out of the corner of my eye, and heard the low rumble, that had been mine just a few seconds before, developing in his chest. I took his hand and smiled. No one else seemed to be bothered. They were all quite happily carrying on with the game, introducing Jacob to the newcomers at our now full table. Clearly, both mine and Edwards reactions, were that of a parent, which, evidently we needed to tone down if we didn't want to blow our cover.

I looked round at Edward, and for a fleeting moment there was no one in the room except for me and him. The love that I felt for him had only grown in intensity over these past years of my new vampire life. I didn't think it was even possible to love him any more than I did the first day that I met him, all those years ago as a human, back when we lived in Forks. But every time I saw him, I felt the same glow spread though my body, and every time he touched me, I felt the same passion overwhelm me.

Controlling these emotions was not getting any easier as the time passed, but as long as I was able to remember where we were, I was usually able to not embarrass myself too much with indecent public displays of affection. I pulled myself back into the cafeteria full of students, and settled myself with the feather light kiss, that Edward had carefully placed on my forehead.

"Hi there," He said, in his velvet voice.

"Hi,"

"I missed you. How was your morning?"

"Like you need to ask," I said as I rolled my eyes.

I had no doubt that he had been watching my day as it went on though all the people around me.

"You made quite an impression it would seem," He chuckled once.

Just as I had thought.

Edward was one of the few vampires with extra talents, above and beyond the usual strength, speed, beauty and grace, which came as standard with being a vampire. Edward could read peoples thoughts. All, except mine. Well, apart from when I let him. I had a gift too. According to vampire terminology, I was a shield. My mind was protected from all 'mind related gifts', which included Edwards and many others, which were more offensive than his. I could, of course, control my shield now, and was now able to completely remove it from myself, allowing Edward to hear me as well. This revolution had, and still did, delight him.

"_Been eavesdropping again I see,"_ I thought, as I carefully shoved my shield away. He grinned my favourite crooked smile, and I couldn't help but smiled back.

"_How is Renesmee getting on?"_ I didn't want her to hear my concerns.

This was her first time at high school. Well, actually, it was her first time at any school. She had not been able to go to pre-school nor junior school. Not because she was a danger to anyone though, far from it. Renesmee had astounding self control, which had been just as much a shock to everyone, as mine had been when I was a newborn. No, Renesmee could not go to any school before this, purely because of the speed in which she had grown.

If she had started at pre-school, within just a matter of weeks, she would have looked out of place for the first year, and how were we supposed to explain that? No, it was easier, and safer for us all, to tutor Renesmee at home. This had been easy; Renesmee was so clever, and quick to pick things up. She was already surpassing the intellectual level of the average human adult, by the time she was just one year old. With the vast knowledge of the whole Cullen family, we were able to educate her to a standard, and at a pace that she would not tire of it.

As she had now reached maturity however, Edward and I had reluctantly agreed, that she could enrol at West Oak High, along with the rest of us. I was pleased that I was able to have her with me in school, although I had not yet had any classes with her, but I still wasn't sure it was the best idea.

"She is doing amazingly well actually. Better than me, I think."

I looked at him puzzled. He smiled tenderly at me, but there was a mixture of irritation and embarrassment there in his eyes.

"It is almost as difficult to see theses boys staring at her, as it is to see them staring at you. And as for their thoughts…" He groaned

"I am surprised I have not ripped someone's head off yet!"

"I know the feeling," I muttered through gritted teeth, as I shot a glance over my shoulder, towards where Serena was sat.

Edward didn't comment, which surprised me somewhat. He usually found my jealousy to be almost as amusing as Emmett did, although he regarded it more as endearing absurdity, rather than entertainment.

I looked up at him, and was taken aback to see him now staring off into the distance, with a slightly glazed look on his face. I immediately looked over at Alice, and at once I knew what was going on.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 – Unnerved

The bell rang loudly, interrupting my concentration. I was watching Edward and Alice, both lost in her vision. I looked around the table quickly. No one else, bar me and Jasper, had noticed what was going on. They were all busy in their individual conversations. My eyes lingered on Renesmee. She was chattering away enthusiastically to a devoted looking Jacob, clearly enjoying her first day at school.

I turned back to Alice and Edward. I wanted to know what they had seen, but before I could say anything, Alice had darted off to her next class, Jasper in hand. For a fleeting moment, there was a pang of jealousy. I didn't have any classes with Edward, and I was trying hard not to think of the young girls that would doubtlessly be queued up to throw themselves at him. I hoped inwardly that Serena was not in any of his afternoon classes. I wasn't quite sure why this particular girl was bothering me quite so much.

Edward had risen from his chair, and was now looking down at me with relaxed expression on his angels face. I was confused. What had he seen?

"Edward?" I pleaded, in a low whisper.

I didn't need to say anything more. He knew me well enough, to know exactly what I was asking.

"Sssshhhh," He shushed me, his eyes flickering over to Renesmee. This didn't help with reassuring me at all.

"_Edward! What is it?"_ I thought with alarm, shoving my shield away quickly, so as not to make my horror apparent to anyone else. He pulled me to my feet, and kissed my forehead gently.

"I will tell you later," He whispered to only me.

"Don't worry, Bella Love. It is nothing that we need to worry about. Actually, as visions go, I would say it was a remarkably good one."

"But…." I protested.

"Later," And his eyes darted to our daughter again. "I promise."

I didn't get a chance to ask any more of him. He kissed me again quickly, and then he was gone. The cafeteria was emptying quickly now, and I resigned myself to the next hour of Spanish.

I didn't have any of my family with me in the last two lessons for the day. I wouldn't have minded, however this meant that there was only me, to which all the attention would now be focused on. I sat at the back in both lessons, keeping my head down. Not that it helped.

You would have thought that I was some sort of circus freak, the way they all stared. Even the teachers had to give me a second look when I introduced myself at the start of each new class. Their sudden intakes of breath had amused me at the last school. It was all new to me, being beautiful, being graceful, being admired. But this time round, it just seemed to be more irritating. All I wanted to do was to sit out the day, unnoticed, at the back of the class. It was becoming very apparent to me, that that would be an absolute impossibility.

I sighed quietly, and let my mind wonder. I could afford to in this period. The last hour of the day was English. I was pleased. As last lessons went, this would be just about bearable. I had aced English last time round. It helped that I could now recall entire novels, word or word, purely from memory. I could probably have done that when I was human, with some of my favourites anyway. Classics like Wuthering Heights, Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice: I had read them over and over again. Read and loved them.

It seemed that this term would begin with Romeo and Juliet, one of my absolute favourites.

"_O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo?"_ I thought to myself, with a smile.

The story of the star-crossed lovers had been mine and Edwards from the very start, only ours had been a much happier ending. We had fought against the obstacles, the forces that conspired against us, and we had won, we had come out stronger. I thought back over all we had been through, and wondered whether there was anything that we could not survive.

"_No,"_ I thought _"Nothing."_

We were two halves of a whole now. Nothing would ever come between us. We could never be parted. We had our forever to just be.

"Miss Swan…" My head snapped up in the direction of the intrusive voice.

The teacher, Miss Turner, was looking intently at me. My mind flashed through the last five minutes of the class instantaneously.

"Yes, a bit I guess," I replied, with a timid smile.

She had been reviewing the schedule of the class for the forthcoming year, and had been trying to ascertain who in the class had any previous knowledge of the works of Shakespeare. Ok, so my answer was somewhat vague, but I wasn't about to divulge the extent of my experience.

"Very good, this class should be fairly easy for you then."

She seemed pleased, and I saw an unfamiliar fondness in her eyes. Usually the teachers just ignored us, or at least they did after unsuccessfully trying to catch us out when we looked to not be paying attention.

"The rest of you however," She said this with a discernable increase in the volume of her voice; an obvious attempt to refocus the class. The rest of the room had used this brief interaction between teacher and new kid, as an excuse to revolve in their seats and gawk.

Reluctantly, the inquisitive faces gave in and turned back to face the front. Just one lingered slightly longer than the rest. A small, mousey brown haired girl, her childlike smile was etched deep into her features. I stared back at her, curiously. This wasn't the usual look that I was use to seeing on the first day. There was no fear. It was that which now held my attention. She sat on a desk on her own, towards the middle of the room. My expression gave nothing of my confusion away.

I kept my features smooth, as I assessed the strange girl. She was fairly ordinary looking, I thought. Not unfortunate in the looks department, but nothing that would rival any of the other kids in the class room either. As I appraised her expression, I thought that she reminded me of someone. I watched her as she reluctantly turned back to face the teacher, like the rest of the class had done just a second ago. I had known that look before, but I couldn't place it. It was as though it had been from different angle, but I wasn't sure.

The rest of the class passed by uneventfully, much to my relief. I had no further attention, apart from a couple of muted whispers from the people closest to me, furthest from Miss Turner's dull human hearing.

I loved being an immortal, but the highly tuned hearing did start to wear thin on days like these. I didn't want to have to hear all that was being said about me.

"She looks like a ghost, what's up with that?" The guy sat in the far corner opposite me said to his friend. I didn't look over, there was no point. The day was nearly over, and in about three minutes and forty six seconds the bell would sound, signalling my release.

"I know, but she's kinda hot, don't you think? She's nothing like any of the other girls in this dead end town,"

"Oh, I dunno. Have you seen her sisters… or whatever relation they are to her?"

"Yeah, I saw them at lunch today. It was sorta hard _not_ to notice them. So what? Are they all like, related then?"

"Simon told me that they are all adopted, by that new doctor guy and his wife."

"Oh yeah, my mom wouldn't stop flirting with him when we had to take my little brother to the hospital, when he fell off his board last Friday."

"What did your dad say to that?" The other boy scoffed.

"He wasn't there, he was…err…at work."

I heard the reluctance in the boys voice, and knew that this was a lie. Why lie about that? I wondered. But it was not enough to keep my attention for long.

Three minutes now.

"Well that was lucky"

The other boy didn't seem to have picked up on his friends' adaptations to the truth. "He would have put the doctor in his place."

"Yeah…" He replied, jovially now.

"So, do you think she's single then?"

"With a face like that?" The reply was both sceptical and sarcastic.

"Hah, not a chance!"

Again, I felt like I should be turning a bright red now. I missed my blush, it still felt odd, not to be able to react how a normal person would.

"I guess. But I haven't seen her with any one else, apart from her family, and that Jacob Black kid who started last week. Do you reckon he's with her?"

I suppressed a snigger.

"I dunno Karl, gees! Why don't you ask him? Don't you have biology with him?"

"Yeah, that's a good idea man! Thanks,"

"It happens every now and again, I was due for a good idea really."

The two boys chuckled to themselves, and then suddenly out of my peripheral vision, I noticed the boy, which had been referred to as Karl, scowling.

"What's _her_ problem?"

The other boy looked confused.

"What's whose problem?"

"Stupid Tessa Mason, over there. Why's she staring like that?"

I quickly scanned the room, and noticed that the mousey brown haired girl was angled in her seat slightly, looking over her shoulder at me again. In my brief moment of shock, I was sure that she would have seen the chagrin showing on my face.

"She's staring at the new girl, Bella, Look,"

I saw his head nod in my direction, but before they could notice me looking at Tessa, I directed my attention back to the blackboard, where Miss Turner was now writing the first assignment up for us all to copy. I let my pen mirror the words on the board for something to distract me from the unnerving attention. I didn't need to copy it down; I had an apt for remembering things these days.

"She's a right freak, watch…"

I heard the sound of scrunching paper, and I knew what he was going to do. The paper ball flew through the air with perfect aim, and struck the girl on the head, making her almost jump out of her seat. She looked around in confusion.

"Bulls eye!" Karl exclaimed. The surrounding students all giggled, and Miss Turner spun round. Pens suddenly began scratching at notebooks and then…. Ding Ding Ding Ding Ding.

"_Finally"_ I thought, with relief.

I stood up quickly, and walked at a comparatively 'fast human pace', up the isle of the class room. As I passed the last row of desks, I would have undoubtedly tripped, and at that moment I was only too please that my coordination problems had not continued on in to my immortality. Instead, I was able to gracefully skip over the outstretched leg of the girl I recognised immediately as Serena.

I didn't want this sort of aggression directed at me. I had never really realised how petty high school girls could be. Rosalie had regaled countless tails of high school vendettas she had come up against, so I had an expert on how to handle such girls on my side. I didn't like confrontation though, not if I could avoid it.

I turned back to look at Serena over my shoulder as I reached the door, and couldn't resist grinning cheerfully at the stunned, disbelieving face. Clearly that had been a prank that had worked at debasing her prey countless times before, and I had cheated her of her fun. I could see the anger burn in her eyes. It reminded me of Jane, when we had come face to face with near death all those years ago. I shuddered at the memory.

I caught a glimpse of Tessa just as I turned to leave the room. The same expression of curiosity on her face, and in that second I knew who she looked like... It was me. Back in the cafeteria back in Forks High School, that day when I had first saw the Cullen's. A thrill of anxiety shot through me.

Walking somewhat slower than I would probably have done before, I edged my way through the filling corridor. I saw Edward walking towards me. He definitely stood out amongst the other students. I thought back through my murky human memories, to the first sight of Edward and his brothers and sisters. I imagined my face as I watched them walk to their solitary table in the corner. Yes, I could see my face now, and I could see Tessa's face, mirror images.

Edward reached me at that point, and quickly made me forget my concerns as he kissed me tenderly.

We met up with the others in the car park. Edward and I got in to the new black Volvo that we had acquired for this new start. Edward got in the drivers side, and I got in the front passenger side. Renesmee climbed in to one of the back seats, beaming. Emmett, Rosalie, Alice and Jasper all got into the other, slightly more glamorous, black Audi. Both cars stood out in this town, but these were by far the most inconspicuous ones in the Cullen's fleet.

Renesmee was charged. Her first day at school seemed to have been far more enjoyable then it had been for the rest of us. I saw her wave at Jacob as we passed. He looked put out. I knew he hated to leave Renesmee for any length of time, but he could hardly jump in the car with us after just one day of having met us.

"I can't believe how much fun school is! I can't wait for tomorrow."

"Well I am glad you enjoyed it. We will see how you feel this time next move." I said in a cheery voice.

I was thrilled that she was enjoying herself, but I was still anxious. I hadn't had any classes with her, and I so desperately wanted to know how she was really handling it. I hadn't had much of a chance to speak to Edward about it at lunch today.

Thinking of lunch, made me think back to Alice's vision. I couldn't ask about it now. Edward had made it clear it had something to do with Renesmee, and I didn't want her to have anything to worry about. Not today at least.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 – Surprise

The drive home from school consisted of a minute by minute account of Renesmee's day. She used her gift to show me her experience as if it had been my own. Edward watched her visions through her thoughts, smiling, as he navigated the roads effortlessly. We were both clearly taking immeasurable comfort from the fact that Renesmee's first day at school had passed by without any problems.

I watched as her whole day played out. Her first two lessons had been English and Biology, both of which she had been with Rosalie and Emmett. I saw the avid attention that Renesmee was exercising. In the background of the memory, I saw the protective stance that Emmett had adopted. Renesmee and Rosalie sat on the desk at the back of the room, and he had positioned himself on the desk in front of them. He had been so intimidating to all the boys in the class, that none of them had dared give either Renesmee or Rosalie a second look.

The third period of the day had been Math, which she had had with Alice and Jasper. She had had no problem picking up on the mathematical theories that had been laid out to the class. Renesmee's mind was almost as photographic as the rest of ours was; it was just slightly less so due to her human genetics. Classes would still be no trouble for her of course, she was more intellectually gifted than the most gifted of humans.

She had not found History as interesting as the rest of her subjects. She much preferred our history. Well Carlisle's history actually. His stories of England and Italy, and his travels across countries to find a way to exist in harmony with hand he had been dealt. She had sat next to Rosalie, at the corner table towards the back of the classroom. I saw as she carefully annotated her study text, whilst at the same time staring off in a dreamlike state to some far off place. Rose had sat protectively next to the isle near the rest of the class, glaring at any of the young teens that turned to stare. She had nearly been as frightening to see as Emmett, but not quite.

Renesmee's fifth period was with Edward, Spanish. She was already fluent in the language, so the teacher very rarely bothered the strange pair, who sat elegantly at the side of the class. They had either been unable to sit at the preferred seats at the back of the class, or else Edward had decided that this was better, for a quick escape from the room at the end of the period. When Renesmee's images flashed to Edwards face, it was composed. Well, it appeared composed, to the untrained eye. I knew every cell of that face, and he was fighting with himself. I guessed he was trying to control his reactions to the thoughts around him.

When the bell had sounded for the end of class, Edward had darted, with Renesmee in hand, out of the room, and followed the painfully slow body of students to the cafeteria. There, I saw our table, where both mine and Jacobs heads had snapped up, and turned to face them. Renesmee spent a brief moment focusing on each of her family, and then lingered on Jacob, as she reached his side, his beaming face shining up at her.

"_Too obvious,"_ I thought to myself, "_far too obvious"_.

She had immersed her self in conversation with Jacob for the duration of the lunch break, and I was relieved to see that she had not picked up on mine and Edwards muted conversation. Nor had she noticed when Alice had frozen with the vision that I had all but forgotten about. I stiffened slightly under the renewed panic of what they had both seen, although the continued onslaught of Renesmee's images distracted me from my anxiety.

Gym had been the next period after lunch. She had been in a team with Jacob, and the pair of them tried, almost in vain, to hide their unfathomable coordination. It was almost comical to watch them. Especially Jacob, who was having clear difficulty in letting the Basketball slip through his fingers, only to have it collected easily by a tall boy with dark spiky hair, and a slightly muscular physic. Jacob still towered above him, as he did with all the students, but this did not seem to discourage the other boy trying childishly to show Jacob up.

I saw the boy smirking, as he bounced the ball back around him, and then, glancing over at Renesmee, he winked at her, as he jumped up to shoot a perfect swish. This did not seem to impress Renesmee, as I was sure was the intention. She had merely smiled politely, and then her eyes had been back on Jacob, who I saw was now visibly shaking with his fists clenched. His anger vanished when he looked back over at Renesmee. The rest of their lesson saw no more such incidences, as Jacobs basketball abilities miraculously didn't seem to be as infringed as they had been before. He was suddenly catching every pass, and scoring every shot played.

We arrived back at the house, just as Renesmee was finishing telling me about her last lesson of the day, Art. This had been the only lesson that she had had on her own, and I was pleased to see how well she dealt with it. Although she blended in better physically than the rest of us did, she had an overwhelming presence that drew people in to her and made them love her. This had been proven all those years back, when we had had to win over our friends to stand as witnesses for us. She had every one of them wrapped around her fingers as soon as she had shown them our story. It was the same in her last period. Renesmee was evidently more approachable with none of her beautiful pale protectors surrounding her. There was far more interaction between her and the teacher than I had seen through out the whole of her day. And it was quickly evident that she had been mentally marked in the teachers mind her protégé.

A few seconds later, the rest of our family pulled up next to the now idling Volvo. Edward cut the engine as Renesmee dropped her hand away from my cheek.

"Jake will be here soon. I'm going to go and meet him. I hope his day was as much fun as mine."

The end of her sentence trailed off slightly, as she jumped out the car and started skipping away. I doubted very much if he had enjoyed today if his face in their gym class was anything to go on.

As I stepped out of the car, I heard the soft pounding of racing feet drawing near. I saw the exasperation on Edwards face, as he stared towards the edge of the lawn in the direction of the incoming visitor. Jacob was approaching fast, no doubt catching up with Sam on how things were going back in La Push on his way, so that he would not have too loose any further time with Renesmee.

He had been given a room in the house (at the opposite side of the house to Renesmee – a specification of both mine and Edwards), but he still preferred to rest in his wolf form outside the house.

Despite the fact that things had been quite for our family, since the dramatic visit from the Volturi, Jacob and the rest of the wolves had not relaxed their protection in all these years. Jacob would not allow it, and as the Alpha of one of the packs that were now in force in La Push, his orders had to be obeyed. Jacob knew, as we all did, that we had not heard the last of the Volturi. However, my family and I acknowledged that it would be a long time before we heard from them again. Time meant something different to us.

I watched Alice, Jasper, Rosalie and Emmett, retreat into the house. Edward was still staring in direction of the trees that Renesmee was now sat under. He looked stressed. I hated seeing him troubled. I felt helpless, not being able to help him, but what could I do? Stop Jacob and Renesmee growing up? Not literally of course, because that was impossible, but physically and emotionally? Stop them feeling the things that they were feeling. It just wasn't realistic to keep the two of them apart. They were, as Edward and I were, incomplete without the other.

I walked around the front of the car, and wrapped my arms around his waist. Reaching up on my tip toes, I kissed the back of his neck gently. I felt the tension in his body melt into a new kind of tension. I smiled, and kissed his neck again. With a quiet groan, he revolved in my arms and stood facing me, with his eyes filled with the same desire, that I knew was echoed in my own.

"I love you," I said with a smile, as he bent his head towards mine to kiss me.

I was shocked at the passion that he was displaying. Usually, we tried to restrain this type of behaviour to when we were alone together. We had decided that it would be better not to flaunt such activities in front of young impressionable half human, half vampires and their werewolf partners. And yet, there sat such a person, not 100 meters away.

I struggled to regain my self control, but somehow I managed to separate our selves, just enough for me to lay my index finger over his perfect marble smooth lips and smile up into his smouldering golden eyes.

"Later," I whispered, trying to keep my voice strong.

"Later," He echoed, with resigned agreement.

He smiled his mesmerising crooked smile, and my resolve almost faulted there and then, but just as I was about to give in to him, the moment was interrupted by an unnecessarily loud and husky voice.

"Nessie!" Jacob cried, as he bounded over to her.

"Jake!"

"Oh I missed you girl," He exclaimed, picking her up off the ground, and swinging her round in a circle once, before placing her back on her feet, taking her face in his hands, and moving in for a kiss.

"Renesmee…" Edward called, interrupting their embrace.

"Come inside, please. I think Alice has something to show you."

"Sure Dad, Come on Jake." The pair of them walked casually, hand in hand, in the direction of the house.

"Um, Jacob. Could I have a word with you, please?"

I looked at Edward inquisitively. What was he up to? It was times like these that I wished that I could read _his_ mind.

Jacob and Renesmee paused, both looking just as confused as I did. However, not wanting to antagonise Edward, Jacob agreed, in his most nonchalant voice.

"Sure sure. You go on in ahead Ness; I will be there in a bit." He barely managed to hide his nervousness, which exuded from within his voice. Renesmee scowled suspiciously at Edward, and then looked back at Jacob. Reluctantly conceding, she released Jacobs hand and headed into the house, through the enormous concertinaed glass doors.

Edward and Jacob watched her until she was out of sight, and then Edward turned to face Jacob and I heard Jacobs heart speed up, ever so slightly. He had never been scared of Edward. Not even in those days, when they were both rivalling for my life. Jacob had always stood strong against him. But now, things had changed, roles had shifted, positions had altered. Edward now held all the cards. He had me as his wife, and Renesmee was his Daughter, his flesh and blood, in a manner of speaking.

Not that the strain of feelings, he had once had for me, lingered for Jacob any more. That had altered the moment Renesmee had been born. She had been the inward pull that Jacob had been feeling towards me, and as soon Renesmee and I were no longer one, the distinction had become clear. But Edward also had Renesmee. She was his daughter, and therefore he was responsible for her. He had the power, and the authority, to lay down the law, and I had a feeling that this was what was about to happen.

"What's up, Edward?"

"I wanted to talk to you, about how you acted around Renesmee today."

"What about it?" He still looked confused, but there was a degree of sheepishness creeping into his body language.

"You know what I am talking about, Jacob. You are supposed to be strangers, and you could barely keep your eyes off her all through out lunch," Edwards tone was becoming increasingly irritated, as he continued.

"How are we supposed to stay in one place, for any length of time, if you cannot keep up the basic pretences at the start?"

"I know it's difficult, Jake," I interrupted.

"But it's really important. It will get easier. The next time, the start won't be so trying."

"Bells, I can't be without her. These last few days have been killing me,"

He looked at me, pleading, knowing that I would be the easier to convince.

"I feel empty when she isn't near me."

"I know Jacob. Believe me, I know," Edward said in a more compassionate tone, but with the underlying hint of irritation still there.

"Well then, go easy on me!" Jacob retorted flatly. Edward raised an eye brow, at the audacity of Jacobs order, but Jacob ignored this.

"It's like Bella said, this is our first time at this. It was easier last move, cos Nessie didn't go to school; I could stay with her all day."

"Jake, you just need to try and ease up on the intensity, when you see her in school. The hard part is over really, if you think about it. She is actually at the school now. At least you can see her at lunch, and in the classes you have together…"

I was trying my best to pacify both of them now, but Edwards impatience was rekindling. Clearly Jacobs mind was wandering slightly, rather than listening entirely to what he was being told.

"Renesmee wants to be at school, and that means that we have to make good on this story."

Jacob didn't look convinced, but he couldn't argue with me. He knew how desperately Renesmee had wanted to be at school with her family this time, and he would not, could not, do anything that would put what she wanted at risk.

One of the difficulties with imprinting, was the desperate need that was felt to give the object of the imprinting anything, and everything that they desired. Renesmee's happiness was pivotal in Jacobs life. With a deep sign, Jacob gave in.

"Ok, I will try harder. I am a complete stranger, who has only met you, bloodsuckers, today for the first time."

"Thank You Jacob, I appreciate…." Edwards words were cut short, by a symphony of excited cries. Renesmee's and Rosalie's jubilation echoed around the clearing.

Without thinking, I was there in the kitchen, with Edward following close behind.

"What is it? What's going on?" I questioned, whilst watching an overexcited Renesmee, dance gracefully around the spacious kitchen.

"Oh Mom, I can't believe it!" She replied, as she whirled herself in and out of the growing crowd. Jacob was with us now, and Carlisle and Esme were walking in from the direction of Carlisle's study.

I looked around at the breathtaking faces of my family, who were now all congregated in one room. Alice and Rose were watching Renesmee appraisingly. Emmett and Jasper were both leaned up against the work counter, looking impassive. Carlisle and Esme, both wore expressions of understanding. Edward was looking lovingly at his dancing baby girl, not an ounce of confusion on his face. It was only Jacob that mirrored my emotions.

How did everyone seem to know what was going on? As soon as I had thought the question, then the answer came to me; Alice's vision. Edward said it was nothing to worry about, and he hadn't wanted to tell me about it in front of Renesmee. Obviously he had wanted Alice to be able to surprise her, with whatever it was, when she had got home. I looked up at Edward, and he confirmed my conclusions by grinning widely at me, and wrapping his arms around my waist, pulling me back against his chest.

"What is it?" I asked again.

"Kate and Garrett are getting married, Mom. And I am going to be a bridesmaid!" She explained, as she pirouetted elegantly over to where Jacob, Edward and I all stood.

She placed one of her delegate pink palms gently against my right cheek, and her other on Jacobs. Instantaneously the images began to play over in my head. Alice holding the oversized white envelope, handing it over, opening it, reading the elegant silver embossed lettering of the invitation, seeing the accompanying note to request that Renesmee be allowed to be a Bridesmaid. Then Renesmee's images changed into her imagination. Flowers everywhere, all her family around her, dressed in decadent fabrics and colours, Jacob stood close by, the wedding march sounding in the background, walking down the isle, and then a graceful figure in all white gliding towards the front of the watching crowd.

"It will be wonderful, Renesmee, and you will look exquisite." I crooned to her, as she moved her hands away from our faces.

I smoothed one of her perfectly formed bronze ringlets away from her delicate angles face, and kissed her forehead tenderly.

"I couldn't agree more." Edward whispered.

"So, does that mean I am allowed to be a Bridesmaid?" She looked eagerly at both of us.

"How could we refuse such a request? Kate and Garrett where there for us all when we needed them most, we will be eternally in their debt. And they are as good as family."

"YEY! Thank you, Dad! Thank you, Mom! Alice, I am going to be a bridesmaid!" She sang in her wind chime voice.

She loped back over to where Alice and Rosalie stood and the three of them began dancing around the room again.

I looked over at Jacob, and was taken aback. He looked…worried? Surely I was reading his expression wrong? Why would a wedding bring about this reaction? Edward had picked up on it too.

"Go Jacob, I will let Renesmee know. You can talk later" He said, in a hushed voice.

Jacob nodded in thanks, and was gone.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 – Understanding

"It's not up to you, Edward. It's Jacob that needs to tell her."

I was adamant on that point. We walked together at normal human speed, hand in hand, up the stairs, away from the excitement that was still emulating from within the kitchen.

"Bella, I told him that I would explain. He is really torn up about this," His voice was smooth and compassionate.

"But I don't understand. Why are you defending him like this? Renesmee is more than mature enough to understand. Why is he being such a coward?" I was almost as appalled at Edward for taking this stance, as I was at Jacob for his apparent lack of back bone.

As we reached the end of the long gallery corridor, that lead to our room, Edward paused. I had barely noticed his hesitation, when he spun me round to face him, where he was now stood. His flawless face was illuminated by the pale moon light, which was shining in though the large windows. He took my face between his hands, gently cradling it, and stared deep into my eyes.

My mind went blank, and I lost all trail of thought. How could he still do this to me? He was still able to dazzle me with the same ease that he had done at the beginning, even now that I was a vampire. That was just not fair. I had no hope of being able to continue with any sort of discussion with him. I felt his warm breath on my face, and my will power deserted me completely.

"Bella," He began, in a low melodic voice.

"You are everything to me. There is nothing in this life, or any other life for that matter, that I would not do for you. I make it my mission, every day of my existence, to make you happy, and anything that goes against that, pains me like a thousand deaths. For me, not to be able to give you something that you desired, or to deny you anything, is utterly unthinkable,"

"Edward I…." I tried to speak, but words just came out as an incoherent babble. His crooked smile spread across all the features of his face and into his darkening honey eyes, which had me frozen where I stood, like a statue.

"I know that my feelings are somewhat intense," He continued.

"But I also know that Jacobs feelings for Renesmee are, albeit to a somewhat lesser magnitude, along the same lines. The idea of telling Renesmee is like breaking his own heart."

I couldn't speak, even if I had known what I wanted to say. I thought about this for a long moment. All the while, Edward continued to hold my face between his palms, as though it was the most precious of jewels. As I lost myself in the exquisite beauty of his face, I knew what he meant. I felt exactly the same. The thought of denying Edward anything, was like actual physical pain to me.

"So why is he doing this then? Why is he not going?" I eventually managed to get out. "He has stood amongst that many Vampires before, he was fine then,"

"He has stood by _us_ before, Bella, to save Renesmee's life." Edward corrected me, and then continued.

"There is no life threatening circumstances to justify his presence at a Vampire social event."

I scowled slightly.

"He will be nearby, but he will not be at the wedding with her."

"Do you think Renesmee will be ok with that?"

"I think so; she is very mature for a 7 year old," He chuckled as he said the words.

"I think that she will see that it is for the best, it will make things easier for Kate."

I looked at Edward questioningly, and his answering smile was one of overwhelming patience. I was clearly being slow on the uptake, even for a vampire, but he appeared to have all the time that I needed for him to explain it all to me, piece by piece.

"Kate would not be one to say it, but the presence of a werewolf, in the absence of a fallen sister, would make for a somewhat awkward edge, to what should be a day of celebration. Don't you think?"

He didn't need to say any more. I knew exactly what he meant.

The Denali's had had an eventful history with the Werewolves of La Push. They had outwardly expressed their distain for the relationship between werewolves and vampires, after Jacob and the rest of the pack, had killed Laurent. Laurent had been one of three vampires who had crossed paths with the Cullen's back in Forks.

Their Coven leader, James, had become obsessed with the hunt…for me. Unbeknown to us, he had been denied the blood of one he so desired many years back; Alice. It was for this reason, that his fixation for mine had been magnified.

James had been destroyed, and Laurent had taken refuge with the Denali's, claiming to be curious of the way the two families lived. Laurent had formed a close bond with one of the sisters in the Denali family, Irena. When he came back to Forks, during the Cullen's absence, he tracked me down on behalf of Victoria, the third member of James coven, and also James' mate. Laurent would have undoubtedly killed me, if it had not been for the werewolves getting to him before he had the chance.

Irena had been furious with the Cullen's treaty with the Werewolves, and so when the time came that Carlisle asked for their help, he was denied it. Irena wanted Carlisle and the rest of the Cullen's, to stand aside, whilst she got their revenge on the Pack. Carlisle had refused.

The friendship with the Kate and her family was restored, when Edward and I married. Kate, Tanya, Eleazar and Carmen were all deeply remorseful of their past behaviour. However, Irena was not one to let go so easily.

The time passed, Renesmee was born, and I became immortal.

Irena eventually decided to come and make peace with the Cullen's. Unfortunately her first encounter with our family had been me and my werewolf friend in the clearing with what, at first sight, appeared to be an 'immortal child'. The immortal children were the ultimate taboo in the vampire world.

Irena was torn. Angered by my friendship with Jacob, and terrified of the Immortal children, she had gone to the Volturi. This action had been the end of Irena's life, and very nearly the end of our entire families.

Kate did not need further reminder of her family's loss on her wedding day. Renesmee would understand. She would be devastated to not have Jacob with her, as she hated to be away from him as much as he could not be apart from her. But she would understand.

I looked deeper into the smouldering eyes that still had me transfixed. His understanding overwhelmed me. Even without his talent of mind reading, he would still be the most wondrous soul reader that I would ever encounter. He understood people on a level that I would never comprehend. I stared at him in owe, as I let the immense happiness that I always felt in his presence, wash over me and light up my expression.

"How do you do it, Edward?"

"How do I do what?"

"One minute, I am arguing against you and then the next, I am completely on side with you… Is there anything that you are ever wrong about?" I watched him as a shimmer of pain played across his moonlit face.

"Sometimes. I have been wrong before, most of the time, when it has come to you," His low voice trailed off, so that the end of his sentence was nothing more than an inaudible whisper.

"Don't be silly, Edward!" I said immediately.

I knew exactly what memories my question had relit in his mind, and I did not want them to take route.

"I couldn't ask for anymore from you. You are all I have ever wanted, and all ever will want. I would not change a thing. Everything that's happened in the past, has led us here, to where we are today, together; for all eternity."

I stepped in closer to him, and reached my arms up around his neck, locking them firmly in place. I was still pretty strong, even if the newborn strength had worn off now, so he was unable to resist when I met his lips for a passionate embrace.

Light footsteps approaching up the stairs ended the moment. Bitter resentment flushed through me. Would I never get to be with Edward this day?

"Bella, we need to approve your wardrobe choice for tomorrow….."

"Alice!" I growled from between my teeth.

"There's no need, I know what I am wearing tomorrow, I…"

"Exactly!" she said, as she skipped down the corridor towards were Edward and I were stood.

"Alice, don't you think Bella has proven herself capable of choosing her own clothes already? I'd say, she looks just as breathtaking as always today, and from the tenor of the male thoughts in the school, I'd wager they would agree." Edward interjected.

"Yeah, as if you would want Bella to look her best for the boys in school! Anyway, you would say that Bella looks good, even if she was wearing garbage bag!"

"Well, she would." He retorted, his teeth clenched together and his jaw set.

I didn't understand Edward being jealous like this. How could he have any insecurity with himself?

"Come along, Bella. Edward, don't you have homework to do?"

Edward stared at Alice beseechingly, as she took my hand and dragged me off him, pulling me into our room, and over to our oversized closet.

"Alice, really, I can choose my own clothes." I protested.

"Bella, I am not about to let my favourite sister-in-law wear the same blue jeans and tee-shirt, for two consecutive days at a new school!"

She knew me too well.

"I would have changed the shirt!" I muttered.

The look that she returned me was not one to argue with. She had already seen my decision to wear a new white cotton tee-shirt, of a very similar design to the one I had chosen for today, and she had no intention of letting me get away with it.

"Fine then," I conceded.

"You can choose my clothes for tomorrow, but I choose my own for the rest of the week!" I said as assertively as I could.

"Agreed," She said quickly, after a brief pause. A cheeky grin was spreading across her face, and I instantly regretted giving in so easily.

She walked into the centre of the enormous room, and stood pondering the rows of hanging garment bags for a long moment. Finally she flitted over to the far corner of the closet, and pulled out three of the black bags.

"This will be perfect," She declared.

"You can wear it with the brown boots I got you last Christmas."

"Alice…" I moaned.

I loved my boots, but I just wanted to wear my tennis shoes for school again tomorrow. I didn't like drawing attention to myself any more than I did usually.

"You agreed Bella; it was your idea, remember… I choose what you wear tomorrow, and you choose for the rest of the week."

I couldn't argue with her, she had me.

"Good girl, I knew you would make the right decision. I am going out to hunt with Jazz now. We will be back before we need to leave for school in the morning. See you then." She said, as she danced her way out of the room and out of sight.

I stood there in the closet for a while, just staring at the covered garments Alice had hung on the door handle for me. I sighed, as my mind wondered to the second day of the new school year. It felt harder this time round, being apart from Edward. I knew that I had told Jacob that it would be easier the next time, but it was apparently having the opposite effect on me. I was sure that it wasn't helped, by the fact that I didn't have any classes with him this semester. In the last school, we had been together in all except for one of our classes and even then, towards the end of the first month in that school, Edward had talked his way into that class as well. We had been inseparable, just like back in Forks.

The thought of Forks, had me thinking of Charlie. It had been over a month since I had last seen him. We had stopped off for a quick visit before we had had to go and organise our move to this new life. He was happily married now, and it helped that he had Sue there to keep him from fretting over what little information that he was privy to. Charlie was still very much on a need to know basis, which suited us all just fine. As long as he did not know too much about our world then he was safe.

On the other hand, Sue knew everything. What with her two children being werewolves, and Sue herself being one of the heads of the La Push council, it would have been impossible for her not to. But still, Charlie was best out of it. Everyone was agreed on that, especially Charlie.

I knew that he was finding it increasingly difficult. Never understanding how Renesmee had grown so quickly, and how no one in my family ever changed over the passing years. But he fought back the temptation to ask for more information. I think he found it easier, just pretending. Charlie was never one for the truth. He preferred to believe the lie.

I mentally planned to go and see him again soon, maybe next weekend. It would be nice for Renesmee, Edward and I, to get away together. Of course, Jacob would come too. He would never pass up an opportunity to return home, nor would he ever willing be parted from Renesmee, for any period of time.

It was then, that my earlier discussion with Edward re-entered my head. I spun on my heels and walked quickly out of the closet, and back into our room. I didn't know where they all were, so I listened intently to the echoes of the house, as I ghosted back along the corridor and down the stairs. I followed Edwards luscious scent through the house. It led me back through the kitchen and then towards the open glass panelled doors. I heard his soothing voice, across the vast meadow that protruded out from the rear and the side aspects of the house.

"Renesmee, you know why he can't be there. It would be fair on him, for you to ask."

I saw Renesmee's sparkling eyes filling with tears, as the understanding of what Edward had told her set in. I wanted to run over and comfort her, but instead, I took a step back into the darkening shadows being cast by the nearby trees. Edward was adamant that he would be the one to tell her, and I did not want to interrupt this moment between them.

"Where is he, Dad? Why did he go like that? Is he mad at me?"

Anger pulsed through me. How could Jacob leave her to think that?

"Why would he be mad at you? He has just gone out to catch up with the pack."

I noted the edge to Edwards tone, but Renesmee was seemingly oblivious to it. Edward and I both knew that Jacob had done all the catching up with the pack on route home from school, to save time. From what Edward had explained to me earlier, I imagined that Jacob was using this time to reconcile his actions to himself. He was going to have to deny Renesmee something that she wanted, and it was going to cut him deep.

"Will he be back tonight? I want to see him," She raised her hand to Edwards cheek, and shared her unspoken questions.

"He will be back later, I promise. The two of you can talk then."

"Thanks dad, I am so lucky to have you." I watched the adoration exude from her eyes, as she stared up at her Father.

"_We all are,"_ I thought to myself as I shifted my shield away so that only Edward could hear me. I watched as he subtly adjusted their positioning in the meadow, so that he was now facing me in the shadows. His look was tender and his stance was so protective of his little girl. As much as he disliked the growing intimacy of Jacob and Renesmee's relationship, he hated it more, when she was upset like she was now.

He beckoned to me minutely, and I slowly moved over to where they both stood. Renesmee looked up as I approached.

"Hey Mom," She said, with a tear stained smile on her face.

"Hey," I didn't know what else I could say, so I simply wrapped my arms around them both, and kissed the top of Renesmee's head, breathing in her delicate fragrance.

His silent approach was given away by his thumping heart. We all heard it before he spoke. Breaking apart from the embrace, we turned in the direction of the incoming visitor.

"Mind if I cut in?" The low husky voice questioned, from just within the shadows of the trees.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 – Reminiscing

The first of the suns rays cut across the pale room, glinting ribbons of colour off our exposed skin, as we lay in a tangled embrace.

"We should get up, Renesmee will be waking soon." He said, as he made to sit himself up in the large four poster bed, which in truth served no real purpose other than a more comfy alternative to the floor. I moaned softly when I felt his body moving away from me. I reacted in time to catch his wrist in one hand, and prevent him from standing up. I pulled him back towards me, as I sat up and pressed myself up against his back. My lips were at his ear, as I arms wrapped tightly around him.

"Wilt thou be gone?" I whispered, so low that I almost doubted he would hear.

"It is not yet near day:" I saw his cheek lift with the smile that was spreading over his face, as I continued with my recital.

"It was the nightingale, and not the lark, that pierc'd the fearful hollow of thine ear, nightly she sings on yond pomegranate tree: believe me love, it was the nightingale."

He pulled me round with impressive skill, so that I sat in his lap, staring up into the haven that was his face.

"I would stay here with you, for the rest of eternity and be utterly content. But our daughter will soon be awake, and I am sure that you, as I, will want to be there when she gets up."

I signed, he had me on that. Although Renesmee was grown now, we still made sure that we were always both around when she woke. She was not too thrilled with the fact that she was the only one of us that she actually required sleep. It helped that Jacob also slept, but as he was prohibited from sleeping in Renesmee's room, it didn't seem to comfort her as much as it had once done. Edward and I knew that we could not keep them apart at night forever but, technically she was still only seven, and that was the branch that we clung too, and would do until she really did reach eighteen.

I knew we had to move, but that didn't make it any easier to tear myself away form this place that I was so immeasurably happy. The sound of stirring from the next room broke me out of my deliberation. Renesmee was waking.

We moved, with mirrored synchronisation over to the closet doors. The garment bags that Alice had so dutifully laid out for me were still hung on the door handle, so I took them and unzipped one with discernable hesitation. Edward smiled and walked on into the closet to pick out his own clothes, as I pulled the overtly short sweater dress from within the first bag.

"A dress?" I exclaimed with chagrin.

"Really, Alice?"

The other two bags contained an accompanying pair of leggings, much to my relief, and a light stone washed denim jacket, which I actually really liked.

Edward came back in to the room, just as I was zipping up my boots. He looked at me appraisingly as I straightened up, and then his expression changed to one of frustration.

"As if it is not difficult enough for me to endure the adolescent mind set of the male population of the school, you have to look like that!"

I stared at him apologetically, but with a degree of incredulity in the sentiment.

"You look lovely as ever, Bella."

"You don't look to bad yourself." I said, with a teasing giggle.

He was wearing a white button down shirt with a light grey sweater over the top, with a dark pair of jeans. Stunning as usual, I wondered how he was able to make such a simple outfit, look like something that should be on a designer catwalk.

Further stirrings from the next room told us that Renesmee was now up and getting ready for the day.

Alice looked at me approvingly as we entered the kitchen. I ignored her, trying to express my distain for being treated like a toy doll. I would have thought that she had got her fill of that through dressing Renesmee over all these years, but apparently not. Jacob was sat on the counter by the sink, not looking overly thrilled by the prospect of another day of almost constant separation. I wished that he would look at the bigger picture, like I was having to. I had no lessons with either Edward or Renesmee. Instead, I was apparently going to have to endure the petty grudges of a jealous teenager, for the next semester.

"Hey Jake, how are you doing?" He looked up at me, smiling feebly.

"Ok, I guess."

"Jake, c'mon, at least be honest with me!"

"We talked last night. She says that she's cool with it, but I dunno…" He broke off, evidently delving back in to the conversation he and Renesmee had had last night, when he had explained to her about not going to Kate and Garrett's wedding with her.

I didn't need to tell him that I knew of their conversation. They had only been in Renesmee's room, and Edward and I had been in ours, only next door. We had tried to ignore it, whilst we listlessly worked our way through the homework set that day, but it was exceedingly difficult, when the work barely took up even a fraction of our concentration.

"It's ok Jake, really." Renesmee had insisted.

"Dad explained why you can't come. I just don't understand why you felt like you had to leave like that."

There was a pause while Jacob had thought about how to respond.

"I…well, I didn't… I mean, I couldn't…" He stammered.

"Jake," Renesmee soothed, as he took a breath to try and compose his thoughts. Then the words seemed to flow with slightly more ease.

"I didn't want to tell you that I wouldn't…that I couldn't be there for you. I don't ever want to be the one to say no to you."

"No, you just leave that to every one else…." I muttered scornfully under my breath. I know that I said I had understood but the irritation had re-established itself when I thought about Edward having to tell her, and I remembered her glassy tears welling up. Edward rolled his eyes at me and then bent his head back down over the history paper he had now moved on to.

"I would do anything for you Ness," Jacob had continued.

"But I just can't be at that wedding. It would go against everything that I am."

"Jake, it's ok, really. Mom and Dad will be there, and you will be nearby. You have nothing to feel bad about. If I'm honest, I should really be the one apologising to you."

"Huh? Why?" Jacob said in a bemused tone. He must have been as astounded by this revelation as I was.

"Why should _you_ apologise?"

"For making you feel this way, Jake." She said, as if it should have been obvious.

"I just didn't think, and I got carried away with it all. I should have kept my thoughts to myself. I'm sorry, Jake."

I couldn't understand why Renesmee was the one who was suddenly apologising? She was just like her father, willing to take anything upon herself, to prevent the other from hurting. I eyed Edward; I didn't need to remove my shield for him to know what I was thinking. My disapproval of Renesmee's apology was clearly written across my face.

"She just doesn't want Jacob to feel bad…"

"…Even if it means blaming herself?" I interceded.

"She loves Jacob. She wants to make him happy. You do the same for me, Bella."

He paused as I let his statement sink in, but then continued when he saw that I was about to protest.

"You always do your up most to prevent me dwelling on the times I have failed you. Do you not?" I knew that this was a rhetorical question, but I answered it anyway.

"Edward, you have never failed me! Not throughout all the time that we have known each other. You have only ever done what you think is right."

"And there, you prove my point."

The complacent look on his face told me that there was little merit to any sort of retort. I rolled my eyes as I put my head down, feigning a vague concentration in the maths equations that lay in front of me. The room next door was quiet now, just the melodious rhythm of two varied heat beats. Edward stood up abruptly, and I looked up in time to see him disappear out of the door. The gentle knocking on the door next to ours, told me that their conversation had moved on further than Edward was willing to allow.

"Jacob, you need to snap out of this. She said it is ok, so why don't you just try to accept it? You will only upset her, if she sees you continuing to beat yourself up about it,"

"I know Bells, sorry. I'll be fine, honest." His answering smile was almost believable, almost. Either way, there was little more I could do.

I jumped up on the counter next to him, just as Renesmee walked into the room. She sent a stunning smile in Jacobs direction, with no hint of the wearing of last nights conversation. Jacobs mood change was almost tangible. He jumped down from beside me, and almost bounded across the kitchen to where she stood.

"Ready for school?" She asked enthusiastically.

"Hmmm, can't wait"

"Oh come on, you had to have had fun yesterday?" She didn't seem to comprehend anyone, not enjoying their new school regime.

"I don't think everyone has quite the same enthusiasm as you do, Renesmee." Edward responded to her questioning look. She smiled as she shook her head disapprovingly.

Edward crossed the room over to me, passing through the beam of bright sunlight, which was streaming in through the large kitchen windows. His skin glittered like diamonds, as colourful rainbows were thrown out across the room.

"Alice, are you sure it's going to be ok for us to go out today?" I questioned.

"Absolutely, it will cloud over in just over 36 minutes, if my visions are correct." She said without hesitation. I looked at Edward who was now leaning up against the counter that I was sat upon. He confirmed Alice's statement, with a subtle nod of his head.

I sighed in defeat; there was no way of getting out of it. It wasn't that I didn't like going, but something about yesterday just had me on edge. I wasn't sure what it was exactly, maybe a combination of things. Not having any classes with Edward, or the unwelcome attention that would still be just as intense as it had been yesterday, or Serena's apparent contempt for me, or Tessa. The thought of this made my agitation grow.

"I'm going to find Rose; she said that she would have a look at my history essay for me before class. Are you coming, Jake?"

"Nessie, you probably know more about history than the teacher does!" Jacob scoffed. Renesmee narrowed her eyes playfully at him, as she led him out towards the back doors. Alice followed after the pair of them, leaving Edward and I alone.

I jumped lightly off the counter and pulled him with me into the spacious living room. I pushed him down on to the white leather sofa, and took my seat on his lap. His arms enclosed around me, and I curled myself round to fit the shape of his body. I felt him rest his head carefully on top of mine, and his fragrant breath saturating my hair.

"Edward, do you remember the first time that I ever saw you?" I muttered into his chest.

"Do _I_ remember the first time that _you_ ever saw _me_?" He repeated my question back to me, inverting the inflections.

"Yes, that first time, back in Forks?"

"Of course Bella, I'll never forget that. How could I?" He repositioned me on his lap so that he could see my face. I looked coyly at him from under my lashes, as he continued reminiscing.

"You were like no one I had ever seen before. You were unbelievably fascinating. But I am curious, why do you ask?" He tilted his head slightly as he studied me. It was as though he was trying to hear something that wasn't there.

"Well, there was this girl in my English class yesterday, and she…" I paused to watch, as the look on Edwards face morphed from intrigue to confusion.

"She reminded me of … well me… when I first saw you," I knew I hadn't made sense. Edward raised one perfectly formed eyebrow, infinitesimally.

"I don't think I quite understand. What do you mean, she reminded you of you?"

I thought for a moment of how best to explain. I couldn't, I didn't know the right words to use. Words were the wrong thing to use to make him understand anyway. He needed to _see_ what I meant.

I placed my hands on either side of his face, and leaned my head so that it rested lightly on his forehead. I closed my eyes and carefully pushed my elastic shield away from me.

I thought back to that lesson, with the staring sea of faces, the teacher calling for attention, and then the girl, with her overzealous curiosity and apparent total lack of fear. I raced through my confused thoughts, replaying them all clearly and concisely. I tried to keep the nearby conversation out of my thoughts, only focusing on it when their interruption that had brought the girl back to my attention.

The annoyed voice of the nearby boy expressing distain at 'that Tessa girl' sounded in my head and the paper crinkled once more, before it was flying through the air to in the direction of my gaze. The laughter that infected the nearby students, reverberated round the silence of the room, where Edward and I sat.

Lost in my recollections, I forgot to skip over the infantile attempt to bring about my public humiliation. I heard a low growl building somewhere beyond the darkness of my eyes, but I held on to the last of the scene. I needed him to see it all.

I spun in my memory and there she was, looking straight at me once again as I disappeared out of the door. Her expression was completely unafraid, unabashed, and unnervingly curious.

My shield recoiled back around me, but I kept my hands in place and my head against his for a moment, breathing slowly. When the silence around us grew too loud for me, I opened my eyes and pulled myself away, just in time to see Edward compose his face.

"I see," He said, after an immeasurable moment.

"Do you?" I asked. "I mean, do you see what I mean? Or is this new town just making me crazy?"

"I don't think that you should read too much in to it, Bella. She is probably just curious by nature, and after all you are some what of a wonder to behold."

"You are slightly biased."

"Hardly, I am surprised that you have not had more curious faces like that."

Although his voice was sincere, I detected an undercurrent to his words. Was he just placating me, or did he really think that I was reading too much into this? As I pondered this thought I heard the approaching heart beat.

"Thanks Jacob, we will be out in a moment." Edward replied to an unspoken statement. Jacob didn't enter the room, and I listened as the steady beat faded away again, this time out towards the direction of the garages.

"I guess we had better go," I said reluctantly.

"Renesmee is waiting for us." He agreed.

I stood up, and straightened out my dress where it had bunched up from sitting.

"Bring on day two." I responded with mock enthusiasm.

He pulled me close to his chest and breathed in deep. Leaning down towards me he kissed me tenderly, gently stroking his hand along the out line of my face then locking it in place at the back of my neck, adjacent to his other hand. He broke away after far too short a moment.

"Bring on day two." He said, with a chuckle as he took my hand and led the way out towards the cars, and the rest of our waiting family.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7 – Too much

Alice had not done me any sort of favours with her choice of attire for me for our second day. My plan to subtly blend in to the background was not in anyway coming to fruition as a result. The inquisitive nature of humans was only ever enhanced by something above and beyond the ordinary. Surely we were above and beyond the ordinary enough, without the stylish accentuation of these clothes Alice had dressed me in? The short sweater dress was cut just to my upper thigh, tucking in elegantly at all the curves of my sculpted body. High heeled boots that elongated graceful and shapely limbs, covered by tight fitting fabric.

I was getting more stares than Rosalie, which Emmett seemed to be most pleased about. I saw the immense grin engulf his face as he threw one of his huge muscular arms around Rosalie's shoulders and then the other around Renesmee's. He was chuckling loudly as he guided them off towards their first lesson.

Edward expression, on the other hand, was another story. I watched his features contort with the strain of controlling his outward visard. When he met my gaze, his expression relaxed a tiny fraction, and I smiled to try and pacify him further.

"You look too good Bella. You are creating quite a commotion amongst our fellow students." He commented, in a tone that I assumed was trying to be blasé.

I rolled my eyes at him and buried my head in his chest as he wrapped his arms tightly round me.

"Its Alice's fault," I mumbled into the light fabric of his shirt.

"I only chose the clothes, Bella," Alice interceded. I knew she would have heard me, I was hardly being quiet for Vampire hearing, just human hearing.

"You are the one who's wearing them. You are the one that is making them look good. So really when you look at it like that, I have done nothing wrong."

I rolled my head to one side, to see her angels face twist into an all knowing smile. I childishly stuck my tongue out at her but she simply grinned wider.

"Remind me that I owe you for this, Alice." Edward retorted sarcastically. Alice spun gracefully on the spot and then skipped off with Jasper in hand, to her first class, weaving effortlessly through the crowd of students.

I turned my head to look up into Edwards face. He was still carefully constructing his mask for the forthcoming day. I looked over at the clock; we still had another five minutes before the bell would ring, signalling the start of the first of the days lessons.

There was no resistance, as I pulled Edward by his hand, and darted along the outskirts of the masses, eventually reaching our destination, a small alcove under the stairwell. Once secluded, I turned to face him in an instant, and reached up on my toes to kiss him. He kissed me back, but not with the same enthusiasm as I was exuding. I pulled away to see his eyes closed and his brow furrowed. I traced my finger along the worry lines on his forehead.

"Edward, what is it?" I asked in a meek voice.

Although I thought I knew what was plaguing his thoughts, my old human insecurities were slowing edging their way into my mind. Had I actually done something wrong? When he saw the panic slowly colour my features, his controlled mask melted away. He cradled me in his arms and pressed his lips hard against my hair, kissing and breathing in the scent.

"Bella, you truly are something else."

"Huh?" was my genius response, and he chuckled softly.

"Will you ever see yourself for what you are? I am sorry, Bella, really, I didn't mean for you to start doubting yourself. I sometimes forget how bizarrely you see yourself," My arms instinctively wrapped around his waist, and once again, I buried my face into his chest.

"You fail to see, just how devastatingly beautiful you are," I snorted at that comment, but kept my face hidden.

"You already have more admirers than Rosalie in this school, and I believe that you will only add to that number, throughout the course of the day…"

"But I don't care about that Edward, you know that." I protested.

"In fact, I wish they would just ignore me. Edward, I don't want anything other than you."

"I know that Bella, truly. I'm sorry; I'm being silly, aren't I?"

"I think silly may be somewhat of an understatement." I joked half heartedly. I could see the tension in this whole being, but I was having difficulty in pin pointing the source.

"Could you do me a favour today?" I asked quickly.

The abruptness of the change in direction of the conversation, made him inquisitive, and some of the tension in his body seemed to shift, but not lessen.

"I would do anything for you Bella, you know that. Why do you even need to ask?" The later part of his sentence came out with almost mock exasperation. I let out a slight sigh of relief and then proceeded on with my distraction.

"I was hoping that you would keep an eye on Renesmee today. I know she was fine yesterday, but what with all that stuff last night, with Jake, I am just worried about her."

This was only partly true. It was true in the sense that I was concerned about Renesmee, but it was not so true in that, I also knew that she was ok with Jacob not going to the wedding. My reason for asking Edward to watch out for Renesmee was two fold.

Firstly, so that he could genuinely keep an eye on her. This was still only her second day at school…ever! As I said, I knew that everything had been fine yesterday, but today was a new day entirely and anything could happen. Renesmee had had just one days experience, whereas the rest of us had lived it for years now.

Secondly, with Edward watching Renesmee, he would be less able to focus on my day, and the undue attention that I knew that I was bound to get. Alice would have a lot to answer to as it was, but if Edward spent the day enduring the same experience as I was about to live, then it would be even worse.

After a fraction of a second's hesitation, only disenable to the more attuned senses, Edwards expression relaxed, and I could tell that my diversion had done the job.

"Of course I will. Don't worry, Love. I will keep my eye on her."

"Thanks," I whispered coyly, as I leaned back into his embrace.

"You have nothing to worry about Bella, Renesmee will be fine. I promise. I love you." His voice sounded composed, but there was that strange edge to it again that I had detected earlier. I looked up to see if I could read any more from his face but as I stared deep into his heavenly his eyes, I saw that all had been carefully concealed. There was no trace of tension on his features, and a dazzling smile was now firmly in place.

I couldn't help but feel my scepticism fade, as he bent his head toward mine, in a bid to re-establish the kiss we had began just before. I needed no encouragement, and this time he was just as enthusiastic as I was.

Momentarily lost in the wonder of Edwards embrace, I very nearly forgot the promise that I had made to myself, on the way to school this morning. Under no circumstances was I going to be last in to any of my classes today. I would make sure that I was sat in my seat, before the rest of the class arrived. I was not willing to endure any more staring than I had to.

Much to Edwards dismay, I broke away from him abruptly, to peer round the wall at the clock, at the opposite end of the corridor. Just one minute now. I spun back round to face Edward. I smiled to myself, as I watched his bemused expression follow me whilst I flitted back over to his side and stretched up to kiss him, before I darted off round the corner to Math.

My walk was perhaps a bit too fast for this mundane human environment, but as the corridor was empty when I rounded the next corner, into the hall where my class was, I sped up further. The effortless pace was not even impinged by my entirely impractical boots that Alice had instructed me to wear. In truth I actually quite liked these boots, just not for school.

I reached the door, and peered through the glass panel into the room. I felt my still heart sink, as I pushed the handle down and walked into the almost full class room. I hoped desperately, that Edward was doing what I had asked, and was focusing his attention on Renesmee right now. There was the same moment of silence as there had been yesterday, and then the mumblings began again. I tried to block it all out by focusing on the path I was now taking down the centre of the room, to get to the desk at the back where I had sat yesterday. Unlike yesterday however, the desk was empty. Where was Jacob? I wondered. He had left the house at the same time as we had. Yes he had had to run off to get his own car to drive here, but he wouldn't have been any more than ten minutes behind us.

Confused, I took my seat and directed my attention to the door, anticipating Jacobs impending entrance. I was growing increasingly conscious of the rapidly multiplying number of eyes, angled towards the back of the class room, but I kept my gaze distant but intent, careful not to slip into too much of a statuesque state. Despite the desperate way that I was adamantly trying to avoid the eye contact, I was still able to note the inept attempts of attracting my attention.

I saw heads swing back round to the door, as a crowd of girls walked into the room. I recognised Serena at the forefront of the grouping, as she led them all to the row of seats at the front of the class. She showed no sign of aversion to the attention that I so desperately was trying to shake off. Much to both Serena's and my own disappointment, the heads soon reverted back to the odd one out at the back of the room. I saw Serena's eyes narrow, as she realised the reason for this change in focus. I flashed my eyes back to the door to try and diffuse her glare.

When the bell rang, and Mr Roberts entered the room, there was still no sign of Jacob. I glanced down at the desk in front of me, where I had my hands clenched tightly together with my fingers intertwined. I didn't understand what could have happened, between him leaving us at the garage, and us getting to school.

I had to keep reminding myself to 'act' human. The combination of yet another lesson on my own, the additional stares, and not knowing where Jacob was, when there had appeared to be nothing wrong with him all of half an hour ago, had me temporarily frozen with stress. I squeezed my eyes tightly shut, as if to blink away my troubles, and then shook my head infinitesimally to myself. Obviously, I was the one that was now over reacting. Jacob was fine, of course he was.

I consciously sat up straighter in my seat and attempted to distract myself from my thoughts, by feigning a state of deep concentration on the sequence of questions set out on the board. Mr Roberts was now engulfed in the explanation of the basic theories required to pass this module. Periodically, she would try and catch out a daydreaming student with a random question, which was usually answered with a dumfounded blank look. So when it was my turn to be picked on, I had to remember to at least hesitate for a moment, before I was able to recite a perfect text book answer. It was almost comical to watch the bewildered teacher, stood at the front of the room, trying to decipher my response and ascertain whether I was surreptitiously looking at the answers some how.

The entertainment value diminished almost as soon as it had occurred. In truth there was nothing to keep me occupied in this class. I understood these types of equations and methodologies well enough now, recalling the last time I sat this class with perfect photographic quality.

Reminiscing on those years was more of a distraction. It had been so difficult at the time, being away from Renesmee all day. When we were at our last school, Renesmee had been just three years old, but with the appearance of a 13 year old. She maintained the same calm placid nature that she had had since she had been born. Renesmee was by far and above the most perfect child imaginable. We had never had a day of trouble from her throughout her entire life.

She still astounded Charlie every time he saw her, even when he had got past her extraordinary rate of growth. I think he half expected her to have the same temper tantrums that I had in my childhood days, when I was forced to summer with Charlie in Forks. We had had nothing of the sort, even when we had told her that she would not be able to come to school with the rest of us. She had accepted our decision with immeasurable grace, which meat that both Edward and I were able to pacify our unease, with the knowledge that she would be safe at home with Esme and Jacob.

The anxiety of leaving Renesmee for the day was nothing next to what it was like now with her in school. I could deal with the kids staring and talking about me and my family, but the thought of any of them singling Renesmee out had my body frozen again.

My nails dug into the soft wood of the desk I was sat at. Realising that there was now five deep gashes gouged in the path my nails had just traced, I worked quietly to smooth them out, so that they were less likely to resemble claw marks from some savage beast.

The increasing volume of the whispering class, brought my attention back into the lesson, and I realised that Mr Roberts had left the room. This was obviously the reason for the raised voices that were now eating away at my internal solace. I kept my eyes down and locked intently on the note book in front of me. I sketched, in what I hoped would appear to be an absentminded way, so that I had something to focus my attention on, and keep my hands busy with, so as not to carve any more of the desk up.

Now that my thoughts were now back in the room, all the comments that were banding around the room came ringing clear to me. I decided that the safest voices were those outside of the classroom, so I closed my eyes in an effort to extend the range of my senses. Healed foot steps were walking outside in the corridor, in the direction of the main entrance. Basketballs were bouncing in the gym and sneakers were squeaking on the polished floor. A low cough, from one of the rooms further down the hall, told me that Mr Roberts was there using the copier. I lingered in this room until the machinery was silent. Papers were strategically piled and then a door was tentatively opened. More footsteps and a friendly greeting, as the two sets of footsteps met somewhere further down the hall. He was almost back to our class room now and the noise in the room was well above a gentle hum. When the door opened, silence fell.

"I trust that you have all finished the questions I set,"

Pens scribbled as students busied themselves with the neglected task.

"Miss Swan," My head lifted up, along with several others, at the mention of my name. Mr Roberts was strolling down the isle towards my desk, with a stern expression on his face.

"I take it, from the fact that you are not working, that you have finished?" He asked incredulously.

"Yes, Sir" I replied, in a placating tone.

He reached for my notebook, and twisted the pages round so it was the right way up. I watched his expression, as he reviewed the answers I had written out whilst he had been writing the questions up on the board. He raised both eyebrows, as he looked up at me.

"Well then, would you be as kind as to help me distribute these hand outs to the rest of the class?"

I took a deep breath, inwardly cursing myself for agreeing to let Alice to dress me like one of her projects.

"Sure" I said, as I smiled placidly back at him.

He faltered briefly as my smile dazzled him. I heard his heart beat jump erratically as I held his eye contact. Then he cleared his throat, in a very authoritative manner, and regained his composure.

I wasn't one to usually make use of all my vampire traits, in particular dazzling, but in this instance, it would mean he would not intentionally quiz me like that again. He was a teacher who clearly liked to be in control, and I made him uncomfortable. At least now, Math would be a peaceful class.

"Thank you," Mr Roberts continued, as he gestured to the stack of paper he had just placed on his over crowded desk. I followed him up to the front of the class and took the sheets of paper that he handed to me. Not making eye contact with anyone else, I preceded to hand out the papers to one half of the class room. I felt the eyes burning into the back of my skull as I passed each desk.

I heard the tick just before the bell rang for the end of class as I reached my desk. Gathering up my stuff off the desk, I shoved it all quickly in to my bag, and swung it swiftly over my shoulder, whilst making my escape from the room.

Once out in the hall, I rummaged for my cell, in one of the pockets of my bag. I dialled Jacobs number and held the phone to my ear.

One ring, two rings, three rings…

"Hey, this is Jake. I can't answer the phone right now, so you know what to do…"

A seconds silence followed, and then a beep.

"Jake, Where are you? Why aren't you at school? I hope you have a good reason for leaving me in Math like that! Call me back when you get this!"

I hit the call end button, and then redialled his number.

One ring, two rings, three rings…

"Hey, this is…" I snapped the phone shut, and thrust it back into my bag.

I don't know what I had hoped to achieve with the second call. If he didn't answer first time, he wasn't going to answer, thirty seconds later.

I took a deep breath to calm myself. I had done all I could for now, and I would have to be content with that. I knew that he was more than capable of looking after himself, but there was still a thread of doubt playing at the back of my mind. What if something had happened? I quickly banished that thought, and strolled on to my next endurance test.

Contrary to my belief, the next few periods passed by relatively quickly, even when I walked into History and there was still no sign of Jacob. After that, I was first to arrive at the corner table of the cafeteria at lunch, and I was shortly followed by Rosalie and then Emmett.

"Hey Bella, what's up little sis?" Emmett guffawed, as he took the seat next to me. I snorted and rolled my eyes at his unmistakable elation at the diversion of attention from Rosalie. It was clear that Rosalie was still turning just many heads as she did ordinarily, however, the intensity of which did not feel as immense somehow.

"Hey Emmett, Hey Rose, have you seen Jake?"

Rosalie looked mildly repulsed at the mention of Jacobs name, and Emmett just looked confused.

"I thought he had a couple of classes with you today, didn't you see him then?" He asked in an offhand manor.

"No, He wasn't there! Have you not seen him at all today then?"

"Not since we left this morning."

After a couple of seconds of no reaction from me he continued.

"Guess he's just ditching today then. It's no biggy, Bella. We've all done it."

Emmett's words, although assertive, just didn't sit right with me.

I knew Jacob. I knew him, almost as well as I knew myself, and I knew that he would not miss a moment with Renesmee, not without a valid reason. In that moment, I made up my mind.

If he did not show up at lunch, then I had to find out what was going on, and I wasn't going to wait for the end of school to do so.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8 – Thwarted

Engrossed in thoughts far from the realms of the cafeteria, I was almost surprised by the approach of the slightly faster than average heart rate. I turned round in time to see Renesmee practically floating past the last five cafeteria tables between us. A sea of eyes followed her movements intently. She was walking alone but her smile was radiant as she surveyed the figures around our table. Confusion flashed in her eyes as she took in the empty seat next to me.

She sat down in the vacant space and leaned in toward me to speak.

"Where's Jake, Mom?"

My mind raced as I tried to think of how best to reply. I didn't want her to worry, especially when I was sure that this was just something that I had blown up out of all proportion in my exceptionally overactive mind.

"I could ask you the same about Edward," I countered, after a momentary pause. "Didn't you just have Spanish with him?"

"Oh Mom, do you have to refer to Dad as that?"

"Yes I do, and you need to as well, if you are intent on remaining at school with us."

She sighed at my response, and then smiled a breathtaking smile.

"Yeah I know, Sorry…'Bella'." She giggled as she uttered my name.

"No one would have heard anyway."

I frowned disapprovingly at her apparent nonchalant attitude. Jacobs relaxed demeanour was clearly rubbing off on her and I wasn't entirely sure whether that was a good thing or not.

"Da… I mean… Edward… was headed off to meet Alice. He didn't say why, but he told me to go on ahead and that he would catch up. I don't think he will be long."

As she was talking, she straightened up in her seat to see better across the cafeteria. I copied her motion instinctively, and caught my breath as I saw the new focus of attention for the sea of eyes. The three devastatingly beautiful figures were not phased by the watching crowd as they made their way over to make up the rest of our party.

When they had all sat down, both Alice and Edward were staring at me with disapproving curiosity. I frowned with confusion, as I searched their expressions for the reason for their stares. I saw nothing. A tiny crease had formed on Alice's brow, and after a brief moment, she nodded her head in the direction of the food counters.

"Bella, shall we go and get something to eat?" she said, in a tone that made it clear that it was in no way a question. I pushed my chair out from the table and followed her slight frame over to the more quite salad bar. I felt Edwards piercing eyes follow me the whole while.

"What is it, Alice?" I asked with genuine wonder, as we each got a tray and started picking random fruits and vegetables off the selection.

"Bella, why are you ditching this afternoon?"

For some reason this caught me off guard. I knew perfectly well that the visions she had were subject to an individuals decisions, and also that she kept a close watch on the futures of all her family members. So why I had not thought of her seeing me decide to go and find out what was going on with Jacob?

She stared at me with her liquid gold eyes, which now blazed with sparkling brightness from her hunt last night. My throat burned as though in response to the brightness.

"I am worried about him, Alice." I said quietly, suddenly very conscious of the over sensitive ears not so far away.

"Bella, you worry about everything." I frowned disapprovingly at her comment.

"You know Edward won't let you." She said in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Why did he come to find you just then, anyway?"

My mind went back to Renesmee's earlier response to my questioning. Edward had gone off to meet Alice. Why? I watched her expression carefully, as she picked up her tray and started to walk off to pay. I followed her, without letting my eyes leave her face, but she gave nothing away. She was well practiced at this.

"He just wanted to see how Renesmee got on in Math today. He wasn't about to ask me when she was sat across the lunch table was he?" In that, I knew she was hiding something. Edward had promised me that he would watch out for Renesmee today, and should therefore not have had any need to converse with Alice on that matter.

We paid for our food, and turned to walk back to our table. Alice's face was almost smug, as we set our trays down and then took our seats. She appeared to have misconstrued my deliberation of what they had really been speaking about, as resignation to being unable to continue on with my ditched afternoon of school. I glanced over at Edward who was still staring at me with a deeply troubled look on his face.

I looked down at the tray of food in front of me and pushed it sideways, so that it was in front of Renesmee. She looked affronted as she examined the human food.

"Are you kidding me?"

"No, you need to eat something. You haven't been out for a couple of days, so you need something to keep up your strength."

"But this…" She poked at the stick of celery sticking out at an angle from the bowl. "Really?"

"Just eat something Renesmee."

I knew how much she hated human food, but it agreed with her system and so would take the edge off the thirst, that I knew would be starting to make its self known, as mine was. I saw her throw a pleading look at Edward, but his eyes were still locked on me. Reluctantly she picked up an apple and took a bite.

"Thank you," I said to her, by way of an apology. She looked at me with beseeching eyes but I didn't waiver.

"_What's going on, Edward?"_ I thought, as I gently pushed my shield away. I kept my head down so as not to draw attention to myself, and looked up gingerly through my lashes. His expression was confused.

"_Why did you have to go find Alice?"_ His eyes softened and he flashed a look at Renesmee, who was still chewing her first bite of apple.

"_But weren't you keeping an eye on her?" _He shook his head a fraction, and now it was my turn to look confused.

"_Why? What happened?"_ A soft smile broke out across his face. I guessed it was in an attempt to pacify me, but it was to no avail. I was now even more convinced that Alice had been masking the truth.

"_Do you know where Jacob is?" _He shook his head again.

"_Is he in school?" _Another subtle shake.

"_Well then, I am going to look for him." _

"No!" He said firmly.

All the faces around the table looked up at him, and then at me, and then at Edward again. Neither Edward nor I broke our gaze.

"Um, did we miss something?" Jasper finally said, after the silence had spanned nearly ten seconds.

"It's nothing." Edward replied, still not looking away from me. His eyes were not as stern now, as though he knew he had made his point. How wrong he was, I thought, after I had snapped my shield back tight around myself.

I felt Renesmee's deep brown eyes on me. I smoothed my features and turned with a smile to face her.

"What is it?" Her question was so filled with deep concern, that it melted away all my former angst and annoyance. All I wanted to do, no, all I was going to do, was to look after my baby girl. I wanted this look banished from her face, never to return again.

"It's nothing Renesmee, we…" but before I could continue she had placed her hand on my cheek and had replayed the scene from her eyes. She had not seen Edwards face as he uttered his decree, but had carefully taken in both of our expressions, once attention had been drawn to us. There was no mistaking the seriousness, in each of our unwavering stares.

"I was just thinking, about maybe leaving school early today, to go hunting." I said in a low voice. No one was close enough to hear but we had to be careful.

"Edward just didn't think that it was good idea, so early on in the semester."

This was the truth to a minute fraction of a degree… I could hardly express my concerns for Jacob to her.

"I thought that it would be better if we were to go tonight, that's all, Bella. Renesmee too, if she wants?" Edward looked over at Renesmee, who was watching the two of us with mild scepticism.

"Does that mean I can leave this then?" She queried as she gestured to the rest of the food on the tray in front of her.

"I suppose." I conceded.

"Ok then."

This seemed to have calmed Renesmee's anxiety, and she was now only too pleased to pick up the tray and follow Alice over to the bins, to dispose of the remaining repulsive human sustenance.

I stared at Edward, hoping for the answers to the questions that were dancing in my mind. Three things were bothering me.

Where was Jacob?

What did Edward have to speak to Alice about?

Why was he so adamant, that I should not leave school early?

If I was staying in this place, for the remainder of the school day, then there was absolutely no way that I was going to class until I had got some answers.

"Edward, could I please have the keys to the car? I think I left my cell in there this morning."

I knew full well where my cell was, having used it not more than a few hours ago. Alice eyed me suspiciously as she sat back down at the table. I ignored her.

"_Please, I want to speak to you Edward, and I don't want it to be a one way conversation like this!" _I thought, as I waited for his response.

"Sure, I'll help you look,"

"Thanks," I replied gratefully.

"I'll see you guys later, it will be time for next period soon."

"Sure thing Bella, Edward, see you both later. We'll keep an eye on this little trouble maker." Jasper joked, as he nudged Renesmee playfully with his elbow.

"Hah Hah! Very funny, Jasper!" Renesmee exclaimed, as she glared sarcastically at Jasper with narrowed eyes.

I gently stoked the top of Renesmee's head as I walked passed, and then I lead Edward out of the cafeteria.

As we walked through the still crowded room, I heard a disgruntled voice, let out a low angry groan. It was clearly discernable above the rest of the banter, but only as my ears were more attuned to sounds and voices that I was familiar with.

"What is Edward Cullen doing with _her_?" Serena made each word clear and concise, despite being said through gritted teeth. She emphasised the last word in such a way, that there was no mistaking her disapproval.

"What's up with Bella?" I recognised the voice of the boy from my English class yesterday. I didn't look over. There were still three tables between us and them.

"What do you mean, 'what's up with Bella?'? You don't actually like her, do you Karl?"

"Um, who doesn't like her? Have you not seen her properly? She's hot! She would give you a run for your money any day!"

"Whatever Karl, I think you are on your own with that one."

"Are you serious, Serena?" Karl asked in amazement.

"She is, by far, the hottest girl in school. Even hotter than the blonde one over there…" I glanced up to see Serena scowling at Karl, who was nodding in the direction of the table we had just departed from before continuing.

"I would bet that that's the view of every other guy in this room…even your John." He sniggered when he caught sight of Serena's furious glare.

"John has better taste than that. Anyway, I wanna know why Edward is with her? Are they together?"

"Oh wow, serious déjà-vu moment!" Cassie interrupted, with a cheeky giggle.

Serena appeared to ignore her, and continued to ponder when she received no other answer.

"He was with that, Renesmee girl, yesterday, who was his sister. Maybe he is related to Bella, as well?"

As if in response to this, Edward was suddenly at my side, having closed the small gap between us, in an instant. He gently put his arm around my waist, and pulled me closer to his body. Silence fell on the speculating audience. I heard an annoyed 'tut', and then a sharp expulsion of breath. I looked up and smiled at Edwards mischievous grin, as we passed their table.

"Unlucky Serena, looks like you've lost that one." One of the other unfamiliar female voices on the table commented.

"Yeah, right. You just watch this space. It's not like they are married, and after all, girlfriends are disposable…" The malice in her voice was, once again, disconcerting. I went to turn back towards her, but Edward kept his arm tight round my waist, so I had little choice but to accompany him out of the cafeteria.

As soon as we had rounded the corner and were far enough away, he loosened his hold, and in the same instant, my thoughts were brought back to the reasoning for this little venture. We pushed open the big double doors, leading out of the entrance hall, and stepped out into the damp September air. For appearances, I decided that it would be best to continue on to the car. Edward seemed to be in agreement with me, as we made our way across the car park.

He unlocked the car and we both got in. As soon as both doors were shut, I began my assault of questions.

"What's going on, Edward? I want the truth. Why don't you want me leaving to find Jake? I am worried about him. You know he wouldn't miss any time with Renesmee, if there wasn't something wrong. And why did you run off to find Alice after last period? Don't tell me that it was because you were finding out about Renesmee, because you told me that you would be watching her today, you promised."

I stared in earnest, into his deep honey coloured eyes. It was so difficult to maintain the momentum of a trail of thought, when he looked at me like he was doing now. Beauty was not a word that did him justice right at this moment. His bronze hair glistened form the drizzling rain, and the damp sheen on his skin highlighted the exquisite contours of his radiant face.

He placed a long pale hand on my cheek, and I felt the electricity course through my body like a bolt of lightning. My stomach flipped in response to his hand skimming down my neck, and then along my collar bone, and back up to my cheek. I felt my eyes close and roll back in to my head, as he traced my lips with one smooth finger. My breathing quickened in response and then I snapped my eyes open, remembering what we were doing here. I locked my gaze with unfathomable resolution, and sat motionless.

"Bella…"

"Please Edward, the truth." I begged, whilst focusing all my will power on keeping myself on my side of the car.

There was a moments quiet before he answered.

"The truth…" He insisted, with a reassuring smile.

"The truth is, I don't know what is going on, and neither does Alice because she can't see Jacob. I don't know why he has missed the most part of the school day, but Alice has foreseen this afternoon 'disappearing', so he will be returning shortly, if indeed he is not here already…"

I made to speak, but Edwards hand was at my mouth before I had uttered a sound.

"…for this reason, there was no need for you to leave early this afternoon. I have been keeping an eye on Renesmee all day, as you asked, and she has been fine. I didn't run off to find Alice after last period. I just told Renesmee that, so I could get something sorted. I thought that it would be easier if I was alone to do so. I met up with Alice after, which is when she told me about her vision of you leaving school after lunch."

I wasn't really sure how to respond to this abundance of information. I watched his expression for any trace of deception, but there was none, only the deep sincerity of the truth. I knew that would be the case, but I had almost hoped for there to be something more. Something that would explain my unanswered questions. I was still confused. Jacob was back at school.

But why had he not been in this morning? And why had he disappeared, without as much as a word to anyone? And why didn't he answer his cell, when I rang earlier?

I had to speak to Jacob.

Edward could see me wrestling with these thoughts. He reached over and kissed my forehead tenderly. I felt my body respond instantly, by relaxing into his embrace.

"Come on," He said, in his soothing, melodic voice.

"Lets get the rest of the day over with, and then you can talk to Jacob tonight."

There was little else I could do, other than to concede. So we got out of the car, and strolled back towards the main building.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9 – Explanations

"_He has got a lot of explaining to do."_ I thought to myself, as I took out the necessary props for the forthcoming English lesson.

Spanish had passed by quickly, and had consisted largely of replaying the interactions of lunch, over and over again, to try and squeeze out any other insight, that I my have initially missed.

Of course, it was also full of over attentive students. They seemed to be getting braver as well. The boys, no longer seemed to be intimidated as much, when it was just me on my own. I supposed, that any of the male members of my family, would be enough to ward of even the bravest of juniors.

I was all on my own in English now however. I could see Karl and his friend in the periphery of my vision. They were both watching me intently, as I opened my copy of Romeo and Juliet, and began to read the text that I already knew so well. I caught the end of their whispered conversation, and I squirmed internally.

"What do you recon then? Should I?" Karl asked the dark haired boy, sat on the desk next to him.

There were three minutes until the bell would sound, and Miss Turner would begin the lesson.

"Up to you man. I thought you saw her with that other Cullen boy at lunch, though?"

"Yeah, I know, but I'll never know until I ask,"

"Your funeral dude, I'll be there though, to watch you crash and burn, hah!"

"Thanks Man, you've always got my back." He mock punched his friend in the arm. "I'm gonna do it..." He resolved, as he stood up and walked calmly down the isle, towards my desk.

I heard his heart beat speed up demonstrably, as he approached and his breathing became some what shallower. I glanced up when he came to stand in front of my desk. His hands were shaking so much so that he had to clench them into fists, and then quickly shoved them in his pockets, hoping that I would not have noticed.

"Hi," He said with a slightly quivering voice.

"Hi," I replied in a courteous manner.

I maintained eye contact with him, and heard his breath catch in the back of his throat. He coughed lightly, in an effort to clear it, and regain some composure.

"I'm Karl. You're Bella, right?"

"Right,"

"Umm…" He stammered to find his words.

"Well, I was just wondering, that since you are new in town, that maybe, you might like to have a friend to show you around?" The words came out in a rush, and I saw the relief on his face when he had go to the end of his sentence. He took a breath, and waited for my reply.

"That's very kind of you Karl," I said curtly.

"But I'm actually already pretty familiar with the area,"

I could have gone on to explain that I had had the last few nights to explore every angle of this place, and that I probably knew it better than he did. But somehow, I didn't think that that was the best direction to take this conversation. I could see, all too well, where this was going, and there was no way that he was going to walk away with the result that he was after. I almost felt sorry for him.

"Oh, Ok. Well, maybe you might like to go out somewhere, sometime…together?"

I hesitated, momentarily, before I gave a response.

"I don't really think that would be a very good idea. I don't think Edward would like that too much."

"Edward?" He said, with a mixture of disappointment and annoyance.

"Yes, Edward Cullen. Do you know him?"

"No, I don't." The resentment in his voice was clear.

"Is he your boyfriend then?"

"We are together, yes."

I didn't like the term boyfriend. Instinctively, I reached up to the thin gold chain that I wore around my neck, and wrapped my fist around the wedding band that hung on it. He paid no attention to my action. Instead, he simply paused for a moment to gather his reaction to my words.

"Oh… well…that's too bad, it would have been good."

"Thank you, for the offer though Karl."

He turned on his heals to retreat back to his desk, where his friend was now stifling back his raucous laughter. He hesitated where he stood for a second, and then turned back to face me.

"If it ever doesn't work out, with you and Edward... well, you know where I am. I would be happy lend a shoulder for you to cry on."

I nearly joined his friend with his laughter. I hadn't cried for almost seven years now, and I never would again. As for the idea of me and Edward not 'working out', well, now I definitely felt sorry for him. There was no me without Edward.

Miss Turner entered the room, just as Karl got back to his seat. Immediately, she broke into a recap of yesterday's lesson. I sat back and stared at Elizabeth Masons ring, which I was now wearing on my right hand, for appearance sake. I let my mind drift, as I sauntered back though the murkier human memories, to the time when Edward had put this ring on the correct finger for the first time. I stayed with these moments until the lesson was all but over.

Bringing my attention back into the classroom, I sat and listened to the scribbling of pens on paper, gentle breathing and the chorus of beating hearts. Occasional mumblings from neighbouring friends broke into the medley of sounds, but they were soon ended when a stern looking Miss Turner would eye them disapprovingly. I glanced around the room taking in each of the students at each of the desks. All but one of them had a partner sat next to them. I recognised the solo student in an instant.

Tessa sat in the same seat as she had done yesterday, the chair next to her empty. She sat, slumped over her desk, with her head resting in her left hand. Her eyes were intent on the note book that she was frantically scribbling in. There was no break in her focus, despite the slowly increasing murmurings of the class. All around her, heads were pealing themselves up from their work, as one by one they completed their task. I tore off the three sheets of paper that I had finished earlier in the lesson, and inscribed my name on each of the sheets.

"Right then," Miss Turner suddenly stood up from behind her desk.

"Pens down, and papers folded." She strolled around from behind her desk, and began her way down the closest isle, collecting the folded papers being pushed along the rows to her. As she reached Tessa's desk, she paused.

"Pens down, Miss Mason," She instructed.

"You have had your time."

Tessa looked up, and slowly pushed her paper towards the edge of the desk.

"Sorry, Miss Turner," She said, in a weak apologetic tone.

Her voice had an oddly rhythmic cadence to it, which I found strange for a human. I examined her features in more depth, as she handed the papers over to the waiting hand. She had a soft face, with subtle features. There was nothing particularly sticking about her, which I thought made her uniquely beautiful. Her light brown hair was accented by understated highlights, running throughout, and it fell loosely, in waves, to her shoulders.

As I watched, Miss Turner moved on past Tessa table, and Tessa's gaze followed her as she moved. I knew it was about to happen, but I was griped by a wondering curiosity of my own. What was it about this girl that made her look at me in this way? Miss Turner crossed between the two of us and as soon as she moved beyond it, Tessa was now watching me. The same childlike smile spread across her face. I knew that my appearance would be impassive to her, but I held this resolve. She carefully pealed away her hand from off the desk and held it in an upright position, where she emulated a waving motion. I watched as she mouthed the word "Hi," to me. I felt the corners of my mouth twitch up into a minute smile.

This small fragile human that sat not three desks away, was in no way like any that I had ever encountered before in my relatively brief life as a vampire, but this fact still scared me. In a brief flurry of panic, I broke our gaze and handed my folded paper to the outstretched hand of Miss Turner, who was smiling approvingly at the three sheets of my somewhat more refined scribbling. I could feel Tessa's eyes still on me, but I did not meet them again. I packed away my stuff back into my bag, and swung it up onto my shoulder as the bell rang. I was out of the door, without a backwards look, before the bell had finished reverberating around the hall.

Edward was waiting for me as I turned the corner. He smiled contented at me, but his eyes flickered to the door I had just come from. Safe in his arms, I turned to watch the remaining students filing out of the class room and I caught sight of Tessa again. Her eyes scanned the now almost full hall. I looked up at Edward, and was puzzled. He was looking over at Tessa, who was now looking back at him. A pang of jealousy swept through me. Edward looked down at me in that moment.

"Are you ready to go home?" He asked, as he stared at me with smouldering eyes.

My apprehension lessened and I looked at him questioningly.

"What was that?"

"What was what?" He countered, with an innocent look on his perfect face.

"You were staring at Tessa,"

"Who?"

"The girl I told you about this morning." A mixture of exasperation and doubt was overcoming me now. Did I just imagine it? Was I going crazy?

"Oh, was that who she was?" I rolled my eyes at him as he continued.

"I was just looking at the rest of your class. Trying to obtain a view of the general thoughts and theories they are forming of us. So far, so good it would seem."

I eyed him suspiciously, but he reached down and kissed me gently on my forehead.

"Come on, let's get home. I was under the impression that you wanted to speak to a certain absentee from this morning?"

"Jacob!" I said with remembered anxiety.

I caught a glimpse of the back of his head as we approached the car, moving swiftly away in the direction of the surrounding trees. Everyone else was congregated around our two cars. I went to follow after him but a strong hand held me back. I looked back at Edward, with a frustrated scowl on my face. He simply smiled back at me with endless patience emanating from his being.

"Later Bella," He assured me, in a soothing voice. I reluctantly nodded and slid in to my seat through the car door that he was now holding open for me.

Renesmee's recap of the day was played back to me, for the duration of the journey home, as it had been the day before. The morning had gone by much the same as yesterday. It was only at the end of Spanish, that there was any real differential between the days.

The bell had sounded and Edward had taken her hand to lead her out of the class before the rest of the class had even stood up from their seats. But then he had halted, not five paces into the hall.

"Renesmee, you go off ahead. I will catch you up in the cafeteria,"

"Where are you going?" She had queried.

"I need to go see Alice about something. I won't be long."

And then I watched as she had as he spun on his heels, and darted off in the opposite direction to the cafeteria.

Confusion had been in the back of her mind, as she continued on her own, following the mass of students now herding themselves in the direction of food. She caught sight of our table and the confusion intensified, as she took in the three people sat around it. Images of Jasper, Alice, Edward and Jacob flashed through her mind.

Her conversation with me had distracted her to a small degree but the under lying confusion was still strong. Jacobs face was etched deep into her thoughts. I watched as she shared the memories of Edward and Alice's arrival. Jasper had joined the party shortly after Alice had insisted that I accompanied her to get some food.

She didn't linger on the memories of the human food, instead glancing over that and the brief conversation about going hunting tonight, to get to the moment that Edward and I went off, under the pretence of retrieving my cell. There was relief in the tenor of her reminiscence, as she walked back to the table with Alice after disposing of the remains of her lunch, when she saw the addition to the table. He sat in my seat, with a beaming grin. I detected a hint of something else in his expression that I couldn't quite out my finger on. Renesmee didn't seem to pick up on this through her excitement to see Jacob.

"Hey Ness," He said in his low husky voice.

His words were saturated with such deep devotion, that Renesmee's thoughts were completely swayed from the feelings of confusion and angst that had previously been enveloping her. To My disappointment, Renesmee had asked no questions as to where he had been. I supposed that, as she had had no lessons with him prior to lunch, she would not have fully comprehended the length of his absence. I noted Emmett, in the background of the memory, glance at Jacob suspiciously. But again Renesmee didn't seem to pick up on this, having her attention firmly fixated on Jacob.

Gym had been a similar format to yesterday, with countless boys competing with each other to win Renesmee's attention. This rattled Jacobs calm exterior, and she watched as he was caught up in the competition. I tuted to myself, unimpressed, as his juvenile exhibition of his athletic abilities became such, that he was by far standing out against the novice skills of the rest of the class. Clearly, our little chat yesterday had fallen on deaf ears.

Once again, the images of her last lesson were played to us as we reached the end of the large driveway. As Renesmee pulled her hand away from my cheek and went to open the car door, I turned to her.

"Renesmee, why don't you go upstairs and start on your homework. Then you can change, and we can go out hunting."

"Oh, ok. Will you tell Jake where I have gone? Maybe he can come with us on the hunt?"

"I will ask him, when I see him." I replied earnestly.

Jacob was more than welcome to come with us… but only after he had answered my questions.

I got out of the car whilst Renesmee skipped off into the house. When she was safely inside, I listened intently to the sounds of the forest. Before I found what I was searching for, Edwards voice broke into my concentration.

"He is not far, come." The tone of his voice was more urgent than I would have expected from him.

He was round by my side in less than a hundredth of a second, and then we were flying through the trees hand in hand. Edward was leading me at first, but then, as we ran further into the darkening surroundings, I picked up Jacobs scent and I could match my pace to his.

Not far now.

I heard his heartbeat, slightly faster than usual, getting louder and louder. Then the trees opened up slightly into a miniature clearing. Jacob sat on the edge of a fallen tree, his face serious. I opened my mouth to speak but Edward got there first.

"What's going on Jacob? Why didn't you tell us about this before?"

The alarming ferocity of his questioning took me by surprise, but Jacob just looked expectant.

"What do you mean?" Edward began to question things that Jacob had obviously just been thinking.

"Wait..." I interrupted, before I missed out on any more of this explanation, for which I had been waiting the whole day for.

"One of you, please tell me what I just missed." I instructed.

Edward turned his head to me, his eyes still fixed on Jacob.

"Jacob has been to La Push today."

"What! Why? What's happened? Is everyone ok?" My torrent of questions, made Edward finally look at me.

"Nothing has happened, and everyone is ok."

"Then why…"

"There has been another young boy in the tribe to phase."

"But…" I trailed off and looked at Jacob, who was now wearing a look of deep concentration.

"What does it mean? I don't understand. There hasn't been a new tribe member to phase in over six years."

I looked from Jacob to Edward for the answer but neither spoke for what felt like a long moment.

"Sam thinks something is coming," Jacob finally answered.

"So I went to La Push, to get a better incite."

"What do you mean, 'something is coming'?"

"That's why I went Bells, I didn't know…"

"And now? Do you know, now?" My voice was now raised, and the frantic nature of my thoughts had made it skip to a higher octave.

Jacob was quite for another moment whilst he traced the contours of his had absentmindedly. He drew a deep breath before he responded.

"Sam thinks that it feels like it did before… well, before when all those bloodsuckers came for you Bella, after graduation, when you were human," He looked at me for my understanding and then continued.

"But I don't think it's like that… There is something, but I'm still not sure… Maybe it's just your bloodsucker friends wedding."

"Kate and Garrett's?" I wondered.

"Yeah, I don't think it feels the same as it did when they were coming for you. It feels more like something that we should be wary of. Not so much a threat to you, but a threat to us."

"There's no threat to you from their wedding, Jake." I encouraged, but Edward cut short my protests.

"It's more the large gathering of our kind that I think the wolves will be feeling the threat of, Bella. There are few like us and the Denali family about, so the guest list will predominantly be made up of those whom will not hold the same respect for human life as we do."

Realisation hit me. Of course the packs would be picking up on such a large impending gathering, even if it was that far away. The packs were so big now, and so in tune with each other, that the ranges they now patrolled were also that much greater.

"Why didn't you tell anyone where you were going, Jake?" This question seemed insignificant now, but I asked it all the same. Maybe I was hoping that it would calm down the nervous edge that was growing in my subconscious.

"I had every intention of going to school when I left you this morning. I phased when I got to the trees, and then I heard Sam. I had to go Bells, there wasn't time to let you know, I didn't know what was going on."

"You didn't answer your cell…"

"It's difficult to answer a cell when you have no opposable thumbs." His tone was lighter now and he rolled his eyes at my apparent stupidity. I scowled.

"I didn't phase back, until I got back to the forest by school."

We were all quiet for a brief moment as we each processed the conversation. I guessed that Edward would be sifting through Jacobs thoughts for any further insight into his absence, and the news of another addition to the pack.

I was the first to break the silence.

"So, how did you leave it?"

"There wasn't much that I could do. I'm going to be on patrol though, each night, so I may be missing the odd bit of school. Well, until the wedding is over, and things calm down. We need to be on guard,"

I nodded in agreement and looked over at Edward. His face was still serious, but not as fraught as before. He returned my stare and his expression softened.

"Thank you, Jacob. If there is anything that we can do to help, you need only ask." Edwards sincerity was abundant, and Jacob nodded appreciatively.

"I think we should all head back now. I am sure it wont take Renesmee long to finish her work, and then she will be wondering where we all are," He paused to look at us both.

"I think it would be prudent to refrain from worrying her unduly."

"I'm with you on that one, Edward," Jacob agreed.

I looked over at him with concerned eyes. There was little that Jacob could keep from Renesmee. She only had to ask, and he would obey.

"I can do it Bells. She doesn't know anything is up, so she won't ask. It will be fine."

"Let's get back then, so she has nothing to suspect."

Edward and I began to run back in the direction of the house. After a split second, I heard the sound of four paws pounding the earth, racing after us.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10 – Changes

Walking through the dividing crowd, I was relieved that this would be the last day of the week. I was profusely thankful that Esme had elected to have our start date for this new school, part way through the week. This meant only one thing. Friday was already upon us. Tomorrow we would be going back to Forks, and I would get to see Charlie again.

Jacob would also be pleased. He could visit La Push without arousing any suspicion from Renesmee. There had bee a noticeable change in his attitude in classes today. He had sat through Math with me this morning, with evident purpose; to make the day go as quickly, and as seamlessly as possible.

His unscheduled excursion home yesterday had obviously made him more on edge, although he had been extremely careful around Renesmee last night. If I had not witnessed his absence during the school day, I may never have guessed that anything was wrong.

There had been little break though on the reasoning behind the unexpected addition to the packs. Carlisle had had no insight on it, and Alice was unable to see past the wolves, so there was no help from her visions.

I would have been inclined to write it off as 'just one of those things', but I had known enough of this life to not be so naive. Also, with the fact that Jacob was clearly on edge about it - regardless of whether or not any of us had any inclination as to what 'it' was - I knew that there was something to the phasing.

I neared the Biology lab, with dubious hesitation. Although the attention had not been as abundant as yesterday, thanks in the most part to my somewhat more understated wardrobe selection, it had still been substantial. In an effort to appease Alice, I had opted for a light denim skirt with a white cotton top. I had finished the outfit off with the jacket from yesterday, a similar pair of leggings and a simple pair of pumps. She had not been overtly thrilled, but it had been a better reaction than the one I had received for my jeans and tee-shirt ensemble. Hopefully now, she would leave me to pick out my wardrobe for the foreseeable future.

I took my usual stabling breath to pacify my anticipation and stepped into the almost full lab. This type of entrance felt almost like routine now, although one that I would be only to pleased to end.

The whispers, however, seemed to have been ongoing prior to my arrival. They intensified as I manoeuvred my way through the gossiping students much to my annoyance. I headed towards the back of the classroom, with my head down and my attention focused firmly on anything that was not my audience. In the fringes of my vision, I detected an anomaly with the appearance of my usually forlorn desk.

Someone else was sat at it.

A low hiss escaped from under my breath. So low that none of the humans who surrounded me would have heard. I took a fraction of a second to calm myself. The pitiful solitude that I had hoped to obtain from this solitary desk had been impeded, which was highly frustrating.

Under normal, well, under other circumstances, I may not have minded, but all I wanted to do now, was use this lesson as a time to be in my own head, with my own thoughts. I did not want to have to play up the charade, to combat the mindless speculations of an over excited human. This would now be such an inconvenience.

With my calm in check, slowly, I raised my head and looked up through my lashes, at the ludicrously audacious student. The intruders eye were fixed on mine and in the instant that our eyes met, I froze. It seemed like a long time before my muscles began to work again, and my mind clicked back into functionality. I edged my way round the desk and took my seat, spinning in it to stare at him with wonder.

"Hello," He said. His velvet voice drowned out all other sounds.

"Edward, I…" Words failed me.

"Aren't you pleased?" There was a hint of worry creeping into his voice now. I reached my hand across the lab bench and took his in mine.

"Of course I am, but when did you? How did you?"

"Yesterday, when I left Renesmee before lunch," He began in answer to my incomplete questions. "I had a word with one of the ladies on reception," A wicked grin spread over his cherubic face as he recounted his tale.

"She wouldn't have stood a chance, poor thing." I sympathised easily with the unsuspecting one of the three ladies who worked in the reception here, the one whom Edward would have unleashed his persuasive power on.

"I told you I had something to sort out."

"Thank you, Edward."

"It was purely selfish on my behalf, I can assure you," He replied with a casual tone. I looked at him sceptically. Edward was anything but selfish; however, not wanting to get in to that particular discussion right now, I let him continue with his justification. "I couldn't stand another day of only seeing you at lunch. So I switched. I now have fourth period Biology, and English last period."

My eyes widened when the realisation of what he was telling me sunk in. Maybe this day wasn't going to be as bad after all.

"You did that, really?"

"I told you, purely selfish reasons."

I shook my head, disbelievingly, but smiling widely. I wanted to throw myself at him, to hold him. But at that moment, Mr Green, the lab teacher had entered the room and was now calling the class to order.

With Edward sat in the seat next to me, even the relentless gossiping didn't bother me. The only draw back was that the lesson passed by at an unyielding pace, and was over in record time. Before I knew it, Mr Green was handing out that night's homework assignments and rest of the students were filing out of the room. Edward lingered behind as the room emptied and I remained there by his side. Mr Green eyed the two of us suspiciously but I stared back at him with an innocent expression. The rapid increase in his pulse rate made him brake out of his trace and quickly bustle out of the room also.

Now alone in the room, I flung my arms around his neck and kissed him passionately. No sooner had I begun the kiss, did I have to end it. There was still one more period before lunch, and once again it would seem that I would be last to it, maybe with the exception of the teacher of course.

Edward let out a soft groan as we pulled ourselves apart.

"What was that in aid of? Not that I am one to complain of course,"

I smiled at the quick correction of his statement, and shrugged.

"Does a girl need a reason to kiss her husband?" I whispered with sultry innocence.

"But of course not, how rude of me, please do forgive my impertinence, My Love"

I pursed my lips, in a bid to feign deep deliberation. But then I signed, and kissed him again. This time, Edward was the one to break away.

"We have tonight," He consoled, when he took in my frowning face. Smiling widely, he took hold of my hand and led the way out of the room. He walked with me all the way to History.

As we reached the door, he stopped, pulling me round to face him, and to let a couple of dazed looking students pass by us.

"Until lunch," He soothed, his uniquely exquisite, perfumed scent engulfed me. I stared into his smouldering golden eyes in my befuddled state. The colour was vivid now after last nights hunt, and they held me mesmerised. We could have been anywhere and I wouldn't have noticed. The surroundings had all but vanished. His parting words barely registered until he had gone, and I was harshly sucked back into reality.

Jacob was not at our desk when I entered the room and for a moment, the anxiety from yesterday reared up in me again. This was short lived, as he entered the room as the bell rang. He took his place next to me without a word and began to dig out text books from within his bag, slamming them down on the desk with excessive force.

"You ok, Jake?" I asked when he had had enough time to get everything ready and sit back in his seat. This seemed to be my regular opening greeting for him of late, something that I would have to address, later of course, when he was less distracted.

"I really don't know how I haven't knocked one of those morons out yet!" He stated.

"I'm sorry, what? Knocked who out?"

"Those idiot kids – they leach over Renesmee like she is some sort of weak prey. It's like I'm not even there." He growled. Agitation was thick in his voice and evident in his clenched fists.

"But I didn't think that you had any lessons with her until after lunch. Have you switched too?" I asked with mild confusion.

"Huh? No, I only have gym with her. Who switched?"

"It doesn't matter. So when have the boys been leering?" I said, trying to divert the subject from switching. I didn't want Jacob to start thinking about that.

"It's all the time Bells, even just in the hall way, at her locker." He clenched and unclenched his fists at the memories and ground his teeth together. "I wish I could just…"

"You can't, Jake! You know you can't. They are just kids. Don't let them bother you," I almost laughed at the hypocrisy of my statement.

The male children of this school were indeed bolder than ones we had previously encountered. However, one previous encounters, we had not had Renesmee with us. She evidently appeared more approachable then the rest of us did, and consequentially appeared to have inadvertently blurred the line between us and them.

"C'mon Jake, you can't seriously be threatened by them?" I tried to suppress my smile but failed when I saw the sheepish look on Jacobs face. I had to giggle then. "Come off it Jake, you know Renesmee has no interest in anyone but you."

He looked at me with conflicting emotions. On the one hand, he knew I was right, so there was reassurance, but then on the other hand, there was still doubt and pain and overwhelming frustration.

"Jake," I lowered my voice to a low whisper. "It's always been you Jake and that will never change for her. Trust me, I know. I experienced it first hand, remember." His forehead puckered under the new weight of truth from my words. "Even before she was born, it was you. These _boys_ don't stand a chance,"

He looked at me with softening eyes. He knew Renesmee's feelings were unchanging, as his were. And he remembered the power of that pull between them. I watched as the dawning of these memories, caused the previously weak smile, to spread and encroach on every angle of his face.

"Thanks, Bells. You really are my best friend you know." And he winked at me.

Both Jacob and I sat with the same martyred expressions throughout the course of the lecture. I had heard it all before, I could tutor Jacob well enough to get him through the course. He was clearly not taking any of it in today. I could understand that. The more I thought about the La Push thing, the more I was sure that there was more to it, just like Jacob did. I had no developing theories however, which made for even greater dissatisfaction.

The increasing level of which, lead to several jabs in my ribs from Jacob, when he noticed that it had been well in excess of five minutes since I last 'fidgeted'. After the third time, I focused my attention on acting human. I was dutiful in the crossing and uncrossing of my legs, switching to rest my chin in alternate hands, blinking, breathing, flicking my hair, shifting my weight in the seat, everything that a human would ordinarily do out of habit. I was the epitome of a high school girl.

Focusing my attention on simple things like acting human, although I was still not as practised as Edward and the rest of my family, it still did not take much effort on my part. But it did make it easier to blur out the inquisitive faces that spun round to get a better look when the teacher asked a question or called my name or Jacobs for that matter. Although, when it was him being asked the question or having his name called out, the eyes still lingered on me.

Luckily the teachers seemed to be learning fast that there was little or no point in asking either of us for answers to their questions, as they would always receive a flawless response. When Jacob was called upon, if he did not know the answers, he would simple nudge my foot under the table and I would whisper it at a level and speed that not even the most attuned human ears would detect it. If anyone was to watch my lips for the tell tail movements of words, they would be disappointed, in that all they would see would be a minute vibration of my lips.

Eventually the tedious lecture ended and we filled out with the rest of the class to the now too familiar cafeteria. It felt like we had been here for three months, not just a mere three days.

We were both silent as we made our way through the school. When we made it to the entrance to the cafeteria, both of our gazes were fixed on the table in the corner of the room, with all but two chairs occupied. Jacobs pace increased as he practically pushed his way through the crowded space. I followed suit and quickly got to the table which was currently subject to that most scrutiny.

I took up my seat next to Edward, smiling as I sat down. All he managed to get out by way of a greeting to me was "Hi," and a warm answering smile to my presence, before Emmett demanded his undivided attention back on their conversation. It appeared that Emmett was planning their next big hunting expedition. Apparently he hadn't hunted a grizzly for a while and so was keen to end their extended absence from his diet.

I sat just watching Edward for a short time, before I decided that there was something wrong with the set of his jaw and the way his brows were slightly inclined to one another. It was almost as if Edward was not completely focused on the conversation, but he was not giving an ounce of this away to anyone who knew him less than me.

With the exception of maybe Carlisle, I was the one who knew Edward inside out. I may not have known him for as long as the rest, or known every adventure or escapade that had occurred in Edwards decades of existence, but I still knew him better.

Keeping part of my attention on Edward and his half hearted conversation, I glanced around the rest of the table. Everyone else seemed to be fully engrossed with their various conversations. Alice and Rosalie were planning the additions to Rose's wardrobe for the next season; apparently a monumental shopping trip was on the horizon. Not wanting any sort of part in that particular venture, I quickly moved my on to the next grouping.

Jasper, Renesmee and Jacob were discussing one of Renesmee's assignments for one of her earlier lessons. Well, Jasper and Renesmee were discussing it. Jacob had the same preoccupied aura about him, as Edward did.

Still intent on not getting roped into Alice and Rosalie's fashion consultation, I joined in with Renesmee, Jasper and Jacob - all the while continuing to watch both Edward and Jacob - for the duration of the lunch break. It wasn't difficult for me to exert enough interest in the discussion, and also watch the two distracted minds at the same time.

Both of them had the same body language, to the untrained eye, neither were wholeheartedly involved in their respective conversations. Was Edward picking up on Jacobs thoughts? Was that what was distracting him? I thought this unlikely as he was more than capable of blocking the thoughts of others out, or even concentrating on two things at once. I knew that if he became too engrossed in the thoughts of another, he would have difficulty in responding to an external conversation. However, he was conversing with Emmett with perfect coherency and all of his usual enthusiasm, there was just something slightly off.

It was the same with Jacob, answering Renesmee with all his usual devotion, but something not quite right. Renesmee didn't seem to have picked up on this. I thought on a couple of occasions that she might have. There were two moments where she sought a reply, and Jacob had responded without hesitation, but she prolonged her examination of his face. However she seemed contented by what she saw – or didn't see – in his expression.

There was no change in any of the three dialogues currently flowing across our table for the rest of the lunch period. As soon as the bell rang, I jumped up out of my seat, kissed Edward swiftly on the forehead and darted out the cafeteria at a human paced sprint.

I was first to reach the empty Spanish class room and quickly took up the desk at far corner of the small room. It was another minute before anyone else arrived. As each student entered the room, and performed their automatic scan of the desks, I held eye contact with each and every one of them. I watched as their expressions turned from surprise, to intrigue and then finally settled on unease.

Each frail heart beat pulsed like it was running out of time, as their questioning gazes were held for just that moment too long. Not one head turned in my direction once they were all seated.

I must have been getting better at my _scary_ stare. I smiled a satisfied grin. I would use this tactic again for future classes.

With relative peace from the unwelcome scrutiny, I was able to indulge my wandering mind, to pass the time through Spanish. It was only towards the end of that lesson that I remembered that the next period was, in all probability, going to be the best lesson of the day.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11 – Ramifications

Of all the lessons that I had to endure, English was the only one that held any sort of interest for me. Despite the fact that I had heard it all before, I found the written word captivating, no matter what sort of environment it was being recited in.

I was out of my seat, with my bag on my shoulder as the bell sounded. I was growing accustomed to the tell tail thud of the clock before the bell would ring and I was now able to use it to my advantage. The hallway was still empty, so I ran with a little more speed than a human. Still not fast, by any sort of Vampire standards, but quick enough to get me to the English department first.

The students from the last class were still filing out of the room. I stood back from the door until the last of them trickled out. I entered the room before the door had swung closed. Maybe, I could have a lesson with Edward and minimal staring? Or was that pushing things? Well, I would soon find out.

The first of my classmates filed in, both looking somewhat flustered. Clearly they had also been running, only with somewhat less success than my efforts. I locked eyes with the first - a fairly average looking boy with a head full of scruffy flaming red hair. He froze in his tracks, only having made it three steps into the room. I heard his breath falter and his pulse stutter. There was silence for the space of what should have been two heart beats, and then he jolted back to life as his friend collided with his stationery body.

"Gees Ste, watch it will ya!" The other, slightly taller boy exclaimed and then began a string of muttered profanities directed at his friend.

I watched as he steadied himself whilst rubbing his nose, which had just crunched into his still bemused looking friends head. Blinking, Ste rejoined the conscious world. I turned my eyes to lock with the other boy. His reaction was more dumfounded. He stood with his mouth open, looking like he was struggling to remember how to close it. I stifled the smile that I could feel playing at the corners of my mouth.

"S…S…Sorry Matt, I…errrr I," Coherency had apparently deserted the boy who had been addressed as Ste. Realising that he would be unable to get a full sentence out, he ducked his head and hurried to the desk furthest away from mine.

So far, so good, it would seem.

More students began to file in. All displayed reactions not too dissimilar to that of the first two boys, just with less bumping and less expletives. The aforementioned pair had both refused to turn their heads even a fraction of a degree in my direction since they had taken route there.

The rest of the seats were all begin to fill now, the ones at the front being of particular popularity today. Almost half of the class had assembled them selves. The desks around mine all remained empty.

Then, somewhere out in the corridor, I heard a familiar footfall headed in this direction. I couldn't help but smile, until the foot steps paused just outside the class room doorway.

"Hi, are you in this class too?" The obstructers' voice questioned.

My fists balled up in to tight fists and my teeth clenched so tightly together that they could have crushed steel. I took a deep breath to try and steady myself. However, instead of the air in my lungs, clearing the annoyance - allowing me to hear the rest of the conversation going on outside in the hallway - it locked me to my seat and had every muscle frozen. A burning flame was searing through my throat.

My eyes automatically roamed in the direction of the agonising fragrance. I spotted the source before the first drop hit the white paper on the desk in front of him.

"Dude, your nose is bleeding, hah!" laughed the red haired boy at the front, completely unconcerned by his friends injury, and utterly unaware of his imminent danger.

Instinctively, the boy called Matt, reached up to touch the skin under his nose, feeling the warm leaking liquid. Then he took his hand away and held it in front of his face, to see for himself. I clenched my fists tightly to my chair and stopped my breathing.

"Oh man, this is your fault," He accused, reaching up to pinch the bridge of his nose and tilt his head. "Is it bad?" He closed his eyes as he asked, a slightly greenish tinge now colouring his features and a clammy sheen spreading over his forehead.

No, it was not bad, but it was more than enough to put me on my guard. I was more than practised by now, to resist these human children, but the scent of fresh, flowing, human blood was a very inviting scent, which was very difficult to resist. I could not run away now, one of my previous methods of avoiding spilling human blood, I would have to endure it, breathlessly.

"Nah, it's not too bad I guess. I'd go get a tissue though, you've managed to wipe it all across your face, idiot. Miss Turner will give you detention for fighting or something."

The bleeding boy stood up, still pinching his nose and walked clumsily out of the room, muttering more profanities as he went.

After a few seconds had passed, I took a trial breath, to make sure it was safe. There was still the scent from the drops on the desk, but they were not as potent as the flowing scent before. I filled my lungs again - relieved that we had been hunting last night; it would have been a lot harder if we had not – but it was still not worth the risk of breathing.

With my head now clearer, but my senses damped through lack of smell, I surveyed the room again. Almost all where in their seats now, just a few unoccupied spaces and an absent teacher remained. Despite not having been able to take in each one of their faces as they entered the room, they still all refused to turn around, much to my relief.

The last two students entered the room. She was grinning from ear to ear just because she was stood next to him. Serena did not take her eyes off him as they strolled through the class room to the remaining seats. One was next to me and the other was next to a disgruntled looking girl, who I recognised from lunch the other day.

Edward was two paces in front of her, but she skipped along behind him without any awareness that there was anyone else in the room. I looked up at Edward as he sat in the seat next to me. His expression was serene, with just a tiny hint of the uncomforting feeling of not breathing.

I saw also at that moment, Serena's trance like state shatter, as she realised that Edward had sat next to me. She scowled maliciously at me as she resumed her path to the vacant seat on the opposite desk.

Apparently my plan to _scare _everyone out of staring at me had come with some undesirable ramifications; the bleeding human for one, and the close proximity of a somewhat unfriendly peer for another. Due to the reorganised seating plan, Serena was no longer at the front of the class. Instead she sat less than a meter away from Edward, staring intently, as if I did not exist. Or at least she was pretending that I did not exist.

Consumed with irrational and yet unrelenting jealousy for this small, breakable human girl - the girl who had just monopolised my _husbands_ time for the last few minutes - I failed to notice Edward watching me with an amused expression. Only when I heard a low chuckle from him, did I detach my glare from off of the floor tiles in front of our desk.

I looked up, into his liquid topaz eyes, questioningly. He smiled back at me, with such a smile that it would have restarted my heart if that were possible.

"It is a good job I _am_ in this class with you today," he began in a low voice for only me to hear, despite Serena's desperate neck craning. "I would have been hard pushed to control myself with so many minds currently preoccupied with you."

I looked away, suddenly embarrassed at the thought of what he might be hearing them thinking. I knew I want them to think I was scary, that I was a freak even, just someone to avoid. But I had not thought ahead to Edward hearing it all. I grimaced, and Edward saw it.

"The boys are positively dumfounded and the girls, well mostly a little intimidated. Apparently you appear quite scary," He snorted at that word and I scowled. He paused to take a testing breath before he continued. "But really Bella, did you really have to cause injuries?" His tone was a cross between exasperation and hilarity, mostly the latter.

Disgruntled somewhat, and still not breathing, I held my head high in the air and deliberately turned my head away from his amused gaze. My plan had worked, albeit for a few technicalities, and I was not about to let him cloud my victorious solitude.

My rebuff was short lived. No sooner had I turned my head, did I feel his soft fingers gently sweep my hair back behind my shoulder, lingering at my cheek, before running down the back of my neck, following the curve of my spine. Then swiftly, he pulled my chair closer to his with one effortless movement. I gasped and spun back round to face him, not expecting the close proximity of his face to mine. He was beaming at me and the childish, stubborn set of my jaw weakened. I looked up at him from under my lashes with a slightly embarrassed feeling in the pit of my contorting stomach.

The moment was interrupted, as a slightly flustered looking Miss Turner bustled into the room. Both Edward and I slowly adjusted our seating positions back to facing the front of the room. Miss Turner had still not acknowledged the class as she sifted through a pile of papers.

I studied her carefully, taking in the slightly unhealthy looking hunch to her posture - a by-product of too many years spent with her head in the copious of books I had no doubt – and her pale complexion. The sun had clearly been a sacrifice to her love of the written word, having spent the majority of her adult life in the sanctuary of libraries or lectures I guessed. I was confident that my assessment would not be far off the mark, recognising in this, the probable course my own human life may have taken, if by way of some tragic twist of fate, I had not fallen into such a fairytale as I had.

Finally, she looked up and surveyed her seated class. She was surprisingly quick to acknowledge the vacant seat next to Ste on the far right desk at the front.

"And where is Mr Willows?" She questioned the red haired boy.

"Umm, he had to step out, nosebleed…" I heard Edward let out a tiny chuckle which he quickly disguised as a cough.

"Well maybe it would be prudent for you to go and check on your friend to make sure he will be returning to my class. I would like to begin at some point today,"

"Yes Miss Turner," He answered in an obedient voice, hastily getting out of his seat and heading to the door as the unimpressed teacher continued on with her irritated rant.

"We have a lot to cover here people and I do not want to have to repeat myself." She strolled out from behind her desk only to perch herself on the front of it to continue. "I trust that you have all made a suitable start to your assignment?"

There was a general murmuring from the class as a whole, with the exception of Edward and myself. I had completed mine the other night and Edward would require no more time than a few minutes to complete a transcript of no lesser quality than that of a scholars – although naturally he would dumb it down for these purposes.

Miss Turner took in the fidgeting class and let out a deep, dissatisfied sigh.

"You have until next Friday," Her tone was assertive and unrelenting. "Now, open you books to Act 2. Scene II and Mr Tanner, you may begin." She commanded a large, stocky looking boy at the far left of the room. He fumbled with the pages and then began to read the word in a way that could only be described as butchering. I closed my mind off to them and thought the play out to my self.

The class room door opened, just as I had reached the end of Romeos opening monologue. The boy reading aloud for the class had only just reached part way through that same section.

"It's my lady, Ow, it is my luv…"

"Please Mr Tanner, read it properly," Miss Turner interrupted, not hiding her distain for his reading "the line is '_It is_ my lady, _O_, it is my _love_'. Come in you two, and hurry up." Ste and Matt hurried across the room to their empty desk, quickly opening their books and lowered their heads.

"Let's see now," She searched the room for a fleeting moment. "Mr Cullen," Her glance met with Edwards and she paused as she took a sharp shallow breath and the steady thumping of her heart missed a beat.

"Yes," Edward answered in a highly gentile tone which had even my head spinning, so heaven only knew how the poor Miss Turner received it.

She took another moment and then swallowed "Are you as familiar with this work as your neighbour, Miss Swan, seems to be?"

I inclined my head to look at Edward as he responded. His face was smooth, and his eyes – a dazzling liquid gold – blazed.

"I have studied this play before, yes." He answered earnestly in his hypnotic velvet voice.

I stifled a giggle as I looked away. Miss Turner didn't notice, she was still transfixed on Edward – as was most of the female population of the class - and obviously still having some issues with regulating the increased pace of her heart and her breathing. She closed her eyes and then opened them wide, as if to wake her self up.

"Very well then, would you be so kind as to show Mr Tanner how it should be performed?" She eyed the boy at the front disapprovingly and then she looked back at Edward, waiting for him to respond.

"I can try," He said with an angelic smile. Then, without even looking at the text in front of him, he began where it had been left.

The whole room went silent, lost in the flow of his melodic recital.

"It is my lady, O, it is my love! O, that she knew she were! She speaks yet she says nothing: what of that?" He looked at me out the corner of his eye and smiled divinely.

"Her eye discourses; I will answer it. I am too bold, 'tis not to me she speaks: Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven, having some business, do entreat her eyes to twinkle in their spheres till they return. What if her eyes were there, they in her head? The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars, as daylight doth a lamp; her eyes in heaven would through the airy region stream so bright that birds would sing and think it were not night. See, how she leans her cheek upon her hand! O, that I were a glove upon that hand, that I might touch that cheek!"

He paused and looked at the dreamy eyed teacher stood with her mouth slightly a jar. The stunned silence of the entire room was immense.

"Ay me!" Miss Turner whispered absentmindedly, before recovering herself and standing up with a jerky, unsteady movement. "That was, um, that was very good, Edward, Thank you. Um,"

Lost in some obscure trial of thought, she pointed to another stunned and unsuspecting student, in the middle of the class to continue. Then she resumed her daydreaming speculation propped up against the far wall of the classroom.

"That was _not_ fair," I muttered under my breath, holding the remaining air I had left in my lungs. He stared at me with widened eyes, over exaggerating, feigned innocence, and then he grinned at me mischievously. I giggled, inadvertently relinquishing the full capacity of my lungs.

With a worried expression, I looked at Edward, and then at Matt at the front of the room. He was showing no signed of prolonged stress from his earlier injury, so I looked questioningly back at Edward. I didn't like being without my sense of smell but I didn't want to take unnecessary risks. But having witnessed Edward successfully recite his Shakespearean verse with relative ease – in terns of being able to take breaths at the appropriate places – I wondered if I was being over cautious.

"Is it safe?" I whispered inaudibly. He nodded surreptitiously back at me, so I took hold of his hand underneath the desk and breathed in a shallow breath.

There was still a slight burn but it was nothing that I could not control, even if it was as a result of human blood in the air. I was strong enough for that. I breathed easier after that and was able to relax more into my chair.

Miss Turner was now pacing at the front of the room, restlessly picking out random students to try and match the rhythm of Edwards perfect reading, and getting more and more put out when yet another failed to even come close. With a sharp huff, she resigned herself to reading the remainder of the act, snapping the book shut abruptly when she had reached the end. The round of quick fire questions that she then assaulted the class with were basic and not in the least bit thought provoking - How these children were supposed to learn was a mystery to me – and yet, few appeared capable of answering even these.

I picked up my pen and began to re-write the scene we had just gone through. My writing was definitely improving. Instead of the messy scrawling of my human years, I was now able to create elegant looking letters which could link together with a careful curl or a graceful flick. It was nothing like Edwards flawless calligraphy, but he had had a few years, well decades, to work on it.

When I looked back up at Edward, his face was serious – overtly intent on something, that I was sure had nothing to do with the questions being asked by the rapidly tiring teacher. I nudged his arm which was resting casually on the desk, but he didn't look away from the space of nothingness that he was focusing on so exactly.

The bell hindered my growing curiosity, because with its ringing, came Edwards blinding smile, as if I had just made up the last five minutes. Maybe I had? I searched his eyes for any trace of what he had been concentrating on in those last few minutes, but once again there was nothing. He was hiding whatever it was well, and I did not like it!

"Shall we?" He asked, offering me his hand as I pick myself up out of my chair and swung my bag over my shoulder. I narrowed my eyes at him suspiciously.

"What was all that about?" I asked incredulously as we filed slowly out of the class room with the rest of the students.

"What was all what about?"

"Oh c'mon Edward, don't play that one," I said with an infuriated sigh. "You know exactly what I mean."

"It was nothing; I was simply trying to obtain more of an insight into the minds of our little friends." His tone was nonchalant, and his carefree attitude as passed through the corridor, just made me more suspicious. He had used that line before, just yesterday.

There was no reason to monitor the thoughts so soon again after that. I was about to continue the interrogation but I heard a familiar, slightly faster paced heart beat, approaching us as we neared the large open doors leading out to the car park.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12 - Return

Nothing had changed in Forks. Ok, so I had only been living away from there for coming up to seven years now but still, it was all the same. It was like some sort of time vortex which, had and would, remain forever unchanged by the progression of man.

Charlie's house, my old home, stood vacant in the moon light. Charlie had been spending more and more time at Sue's house of late. Their arrangement was a strange one. Although married, they each maintained their own homes, neither one of them willing to relinquish their grasp on their previous abode. They stayed wherever the other was of course, never having spent a night apart since their wedding.

Charlie must have been in La Push tonight.

I continued on along my path, alone in my journey. I wasn't really sure of my purpose, but as soon as we had arrived back here, I had felt an overwhelming need for the quiet. Edward had furrowed his brow when I had refused his company but he had reluctantly conceded to my wishes, watching me as I disappeared off into the thick vegetation surrounding the former Cullen home.

I had been wandering for just over an hour now, not feeling any sort of rhyme or reason to the venture. I approached my old house under the cover of the darkness, hiding from the moonlight in the shadows of the huge trees that encroached on the road. I crossed the yard in an instant and scaled the side of the house, to my old window. The wooden frame put up little resistance to my hand and I was soon stood in the small room which was now yet another tribute to the unchanging town of Forks, Washington.

Charlie had not changed a thing since my last night here, the night before my wedding. His nostalgic attitude to this house was somewhat wasteful I thought. There was nothing of me here now, not of whom I now was – who I _really_ was. This room was merely a sanctuary for memories of a life that had long since past.

I felt a sharp stab of sorrow as I stood in the now desolate room and thought about my father. In that moment, I was immensely grateful of the fact that Charlie had Sue, and a whole host of extended family members within La Push. I shuddered at the thought of how things would have turned out if that had not been the case. He had Renee of course, but she was far away still living in Jacksonville with her husband Phil.

I paused in front of the photo of my mother on my old desk. As my eyes roamed over her smiling face, the stab of sorrow I was feeling for my father morphed into a tidal wave of sadness for my mother. My eyes pricked with the emptiness of tears and my mind raced back to the time when I had knowingly ripped my mothers' life apart.

It was what would have been, for all intents and purposes, my 20th birthday. My Vampire family and I were all still residing in Forks. Charlie, Sue and Seth had joined us, along with Jacob of course, for a celebratory meal – well, it was a meal for them anyway. Alice had, as usual, gone over board with the whole ordeal; twinkle lights, flowers, crystal and candles – beautiful, but over the top. Everyone was intent on me, watching as I unwrapped, the far too many, different shaped and sized packages that were laid out in front of me.

I was about to unwrap a large rectangular box which had a distinct aroma of satin – a fragrance that I had familiarised myself with for the sole purpose of avoidance – when the telephone had rang. I looked over at Alice who was sat at the far end of the table – the farthest position from the two Werewolf guests – in a bid to increase her foresight. Her pixie face, which just seconds ago had been the foundation for a brilliant beaming grin, was now staring at me with a look of deep horror and pain.

The room fell into silence with just the angry ringing of the telephone breaking in to it. I couldn't move. Blind panic had me pinned to my seat and had my hands curled round the unopened package in front of me, with my nails now dug deep into the weak cardboard structure.

"What is it, Alice? Who is it?" I asked with a muted tone that replicated her expression.

"It's your mother," She replied flatly.

"My Mother?" I exclaimed, alarm now thick in my throat. "What's wrong?"

"Just," She paused, as she sucked in a ragged breath. "Just answer the phone, Bella." Her voice was morose.

Panic, fear and worry filtered through my thoughts as my body unfroze and I darted across the room. I snatched the phone out of its cradle and hit the answer button within the same second.

"Hello," I answered in what I hoped would be a casual tone. My eyes flickered between Edward and Alice, watching their silent exchange as I waited for the slower answer of my mother on the other end.

"Bella, is that you? It's me, it's your Mom" She exclaimed. I was confused. There was no hint of agitation in her voice, just the over excited undertones of my mothers usual childlike demeanour.

"Hi Mom, What's up? Are you ok?" I tried to modulate my anxiety and sound relaxed.

"Of course I am Baby, why wouldn't I be?" She asked in a tone that made it perfectly evident she thought I worried too much. I did worry too much, but usually with just cause. "I was just calling to wish you a 'Happy Birthday'," She continued. "Have you had a good day? Did you get my gift? I sent it to Charlie over a week ago so that you would have it on the day. He did give it to you didn't he?" She was waffling now, so I interceded so she could take a breath.

"Yes Mom, I got it, thanks." I instinctively looked over at the ornately decorated trinket box that was sat next to the remaining unwrapped gifts. "Its great, you really shouldn't have though."

"Pah, like I was going to listen to you and your 'no gift policy'. Phil and I saw it last month when we were on holiday in Hawaii. I know it's not much," She paused and I could hear the excited little intake of breath that she took when she was trying to hide something but couldn't any longer.

"But I have another surprise for you too," She had paused again, this time for dramatic emphasis. I looked back at the now worried eyes of Edward. "We're coming to visit you Baby, next month, when Phil has a bit of time off. I haven't mentioned anything to Charlie because I know how good he is at keeping a secret, ha. Remember that time… Bella, are you still there?"

I was frozen again. Every muscle in my body locked in its place, unable to utter a sound, lost in the simple words that had just shattered my world into a thousand different pieces.

'_We're coming to visit'._

Now I understood the panic in Alice's eyes when she had said who it was on the phone. My mothers' continued babbling fractured my frozen state, when her voice picked up an octave after my lack of response.

"Bella? Bella, are you still there?"

"I... I… I'm still here Mom," My voice was weak and trembled when I finally replied.

"Well, what do you think then? Aren't you happy?" Worry was now creeping into her voice now, so I tried harder to level my own.

"Yeah, its great Mom, I can't wait." My excitement was pitiful but it was enough that over the phone, Renee was pacified.

"Me neither Bella, it's been too long. You and Edward really should have come to stay with me and Phil sooner, we haven't seen you since your wedding."

"Mom…" I tried to cut her off.

"I know, I know, you have been busy at college. I just miss you, Baby."

A lump rose in my throat when she uttered her last sentence.

"I know Mom, I miss you too."

"Well anyway, I will let you get back to your party. Charlie told me he was going to be going round to see you this afternoon, so I knew that you would be home. Enjoy the rest of your Birthday and give my love to Carlisle and Esme and the rest of the family. I will call you again soon to let you know when we know when we are coming," She sighed then. "I really can't wait to see you, I love you Bella."

"Love you too, Mom."

And then she was gone.

I stood facing the wall, still holding the receiver to my ear. A strong pair of arms wrapped themselves around my waist and pulled me closer as I let the phone drop down by my side.

"Edward," I whispered.

"I know," He replied, his voice thick with worry and remorse.

"What are we going to do?"

He didn't need to answer me. I knew what we had to do. We all did. I had just hoped that we could have put it off for just a bit longer, maybe a few more years. There was only one thing that we could do. I knew that I could never see my mother again. I had known that even before I had entered into this new world. She was not strong enough to accept me as Charlie had, without questions, without reservations, without fear.

My wedding was the last time I was ever to be held by Renee, the last time that I was to ever feel her loving arms embrace me, the last time that I would ever look upon her as she looked upon me. Fore she could not see me now, or ever again. I was too changed, too different but too much the same to ever let her see me again.

We had all agreed that it was for the best. Even Charlie had agreed, although the thought of what it would do to her had made him physically sick. And yet it had to be done. I had to do it. I had to die.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13 – Heartbreak

A car crash, on the way back to Dartmouth, both Edward and I. Just one week after that fateful phone call.

That was our story.

Carlisle had made the call to Renee, as Charlie could hardly stomach the thought of saying the words, even with being party to the truth. I had been immeasurably thankful that Carlisle had been the one to do so. There was no way that Charlie would have been able to sooth the gut wrenching hysteria that flowed in torrents from my heart broken mother on the other end of the phone, as Carlisle had done.

She and Phil had been on the next flight out of course. But we had prepared for that.

The arrangements were made with astonishing speed and ease, thanks in large to Esme and Carlisle. Renee had been completely incoherent for the first two days of her time in Forks, even with Jaspers presence. She and Phil spent the days in the calming interior of the big white house, hidden in the depths of the forests, and nights in a Motel, not far out of town. I was unsurprised that Renee had declined Charlie's empty offer of hospitality. Being in their old house - where they had been happy once, all of us, as a family - would have been too much to bear.

I spent my days in the confines of our little cottage with Edward. At first I had tried to sneak a peak at my mother, whilst hidden in the darkness of the forest. But as soon as I had caught sight of her quivering frame, I had ran, knowing that I could not go through the rest of my eternity with any more images like that to haunt me.

I didn't want anyone to see my pain. Although I didn't cry - I could not cry - the pain was still as visible in every cell of my being. I didn't want Edward to see that and I most certainly had not wanted Renesmee to see me in that state. Edward had refused to leave me, even for a second, and so Jacob was only too pleased to escape the charade and look after Renesmee, from within the safety of La Push.

Renesmee didn't like the idea of never being able to know her Grandma, but there was simply no other option. If there was, there would have been nothing on this earth that would have ever made me inflict this sort of irreparable destruction on my mothers carefree existence.

The funeral was a simple one, with relatively few in attendance, only the two grieving families and a few exceptions; Billy, Sue and Seth. Both caskets were closed. There was no way that I would have been able to lie still, with my mother grieving over my apparently lifeless body. There was no need to cause further trauma for her.

As soon as it was over, a few fleeting, slightly awkward goodbyes were exchanged and then Phil whisked Renee away, back to Jacksonville, to pick up the pieces of her now shattered world.

I had watched from the seclusion of the nearby cedars – Edwards arms wrapped carefully around my waist, holding me tight against him, with his chin resting softly on my right shoulder – as my mother was lead to the cab where their luggage was now being loaded into the trunk. She was not crying, her tears having all dried out now, but her whole presence - her presence which used to have the energy of a young and adventurous child – was now sombre and subdued, all sense of her former life now gone.

Edward squeezed me tight as we had watched the cab drive off. I saw Carlisle and Esme looking round to stare in the direction of our retreat. I took a deep steadying breath and fixed a composed smile on my face. We walked hand in hand to the small gathering. I went to stand by Charlie, who quickly pulled me up into a vice like hug.

"I'm so sorry, Dad," I said in a muffled whisper.

"Had to be done Bells," He reassured me, but his voice broke as he said my name. I pulled myself away from his shoulder and I saw his eyes glistening with the pain of what had passed.

"It was for the best," I agreed. "She couldn't know the truth," I meant for my words to be assertive, a statement rather than the question that it had turned into. Doubt niggled away at my resolve.

"She couldn't Bells, I know, I know." He moderated the pain in the tone of his words well as he reassured me, and smiled down at me with a shaky smile. "Promise me something?"

"Anything Dad," I promised without hesitation.

"Don't ever leave me Bells, I can't ever go though that again."

I stared up into his pained and pleading eyes.

"I won't leave you Dad," I paused and looked away as I corrected my promise. "But I can't always be around here, especially now. We have to leave, we can't stay here. You know that,"

He took a deep unsteady breath, as the truth of what I had said sunk in.

"I know," He said weakly "just… Well, don't forget about me. I love you Bells. Always have, always will, no matter what."

"I love you too, Dad."

We had left Forks that week.

I wandered slowly down the stairs and along the hall to the small family room. The moon shining bright in the cloudless night's sky, gave an eerie glow to the room. I moved at a lacklustre pace to the stand by the fireplace. I looked along the line of photos that, just like everything else, stood unchanged - with the exception of one addition, a wedding picture of Sue and Charlie - from the time I first moved here.

I picked up the photo of Renee and Charlie in Vegas and stared into my Mothers eyes. She looked so happy and peaceful there, so different to the memory of the forlorn figure getting in the cab, which – just like the images of her in the Cullen house on that first day - continued to haunt my every thought.

I replaced the photo in the exact spot I had removed it from and hesitated with my hand still on the frame. Faint footfall was coming down the stairs. I sniffed at the air and released my hold on the picture frame.

"Bella," His voice was cautious and apologetic at the same time. I didn't turn to look at him. I just stood, and listened to his footsteps slow and then stop just inside the doorway.

"Bella," He said again. This time I responded, turning slowly to face him. He moved in that same instant so that when I had turned, he was stood right in front of me. I fell into his arms and there we stood motionless for a long moment.

Edward was the first to break the silence.

"Are you ready to go home?" He asked in a soothing voice which filled my still heart with calm. I closed my eyes against his chest and took in a deep breath. His scent overwhelmed me and lifted my reminiscent mood.

"I'm sorry, Edward," I replied as I lifted my head to look up into his angels face.

"Sorry?" He looked confused. "Sorry for what?"

"For going off like that," He shook his head in disagreement but I continued. "I don't know why I did. I just, I just needed to be here. I was thinking about Renee."

There was no judgement in his eyes, just concern and compassion.

"You miss her," He stated and I dropped my head again, focusing on one of the small pearlescent buttons on his shirt. "Bella, that's nothing to be ashamed of, you shouldn't hide it or pretend that you feel any other way." He said as he put one gentle finger under my chin and tilted my head up to face him again. "She is your mother,"

"She was," I whispered in a feeble voice.

"Bella," He said in a stern but still gentle voice. "She will _always_ be your mother. Things are just different now." He paused for a moment as I stared wistfully into his sparkling eyes. The emotion in them seemed to shift suddenly to mirror that which was in mine. As I watched this, the shock of seeing my melancholy air reflected back at me, made my mind snap the hold of its consuming grief.

"I'm sorry Edward," I repeated again.

"Bella, Stop." He ordered, and a smile cracked on my face at the conflict in his words and tone. He had wanted to reprimand me for my apology but at the same time, he was still concerned for the pain that I was inflicting on myself through my concealed grief.

"Thank you, Edward," His disconcerted face now shifted to that of bemusement. Not wanting for him to think that I had completely lost my mind, I filled in the blanks. "Thank you for being there for me. For always being exactly what I need. And for putting up with me even when I go a little off the rails." I smiled sheepishly up at him and was pleased to see him roll his eyes and bend his head to kiss me tenderly. When he broke away, he smiled brilliantly back at me.

"Bella, I will 'put up with you' – as you so ludicrously put it - for the rest of forever. Whether you are crazy or not, I am yours for the keeping."

And I kissed him again.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14 – Investigations

"BELLA!"

The sound of my name reverberated around the clearing, as he charged with surprising pace, across the large stretch of lawn between us. The ferocity of his greeting and the agility of his movement, took nearly all by surprise, especially Sue, who got the full force of his enthusiasm when he had caught sight of my approach.

I smiled and broke my possessive hold on Edwards hand, to race to meet my father. I reached him quicker than maybe I should have – human pretences seeming somewhat trivial in the present company - but he didn't seem to notice. Instead he threw his arms fiercely around my cold stone body and hugged me tightly to him.

"Hi Dad," I said with hushed tenderness. He said nothing, instead just pulling me closer. I listened as his breathing steadied and his efforts moved to calming the tears that I could now taste in the air. I held my arms in place and squeezed him gently to show my understanding of his silence. After a long moment he reciprocated my squeeze and loosened his grip on me.

"Hey Bells," He finally replied, holding me slightly away to appraise me. "You look… good,"

I chuckled. I hadn't changed one bit and I would never do so again. So I would never look anything other than 'good'. Even Charlie would have been able to see that now, but he continued to live in his contented world of partial truths and fabricated gaps. Never questioning, never probing.

"Thanks Dad," I said with a slight roll of my eyes. "You do too. How have you been?"

"I'm doing fine. Work's a little slow, what with all the kids back in school now. Not that it was mad busy before, but you know what I mean." I smiled as he waffled on. "The council were having a meeting this evening so Sue and I had planned on staying at hers for the next couple of days. Had you been over to the house?"

I knew that he did not mean Sues, but I didn't get a chance to respond as his ramblings continued on.

"Sorry if you did, we just thought it would be easier to be in La Push with the meetings and all."

"Dad, breathe." I instructed, as he had not taken a breath for the duration of his speech. "Its fine, it was nice to see the old house, and now even nicer to see you. Although," I paused, inclining my right ear slightly to his chest. "You might want to think about taking things a bit easier, and easing up on the pizza."

I frowned up at him. His heart rate was sluggish, even after his sudden spurt of athleticism. It was not the vibrant thumping of a regular healthy heart. Yes he was approaching fifty now but his heart rate should defiantly be more consistent than it was. He looked away sheepishly from my disapproving stare.

I heard Edwards soft chuckle approaching us slowly and so I turned my stare on him.

"Charlie," He greeted with immeasurable politeness.

"Edward," Charlie nodded in acknowledgement. "How are you doing, son?"

I looked back up at Charlie in an instant; shock the dominant characteristic littering my face. Charlie had never addressed Edward as 'Son'. I swung my head back and forth, from Charlie to Edward, eventually resting on Edwards composed, gentile expression. If Charlie's term of endearment had taken him by the same surprise that it had done me, then he did not show it.

"I'm doing remarkably well, thank you. How are you keeping?" Edward shot a quick glance at me after he had mirrored my slight head inclination. Both movements completely evaded Charlie's notice.

"Err, yeah, you know me, healthy as a horse." He replied in a gruff voice.

"I'm glad to hear that. Sue must be looking after you well. I hope you don't mind us dropping by like this with such short notice, but Bella really wanted to see you."

Charlie looked back down at me. He was still holding in a tight embrace, and he smiled – embarrassment colouring his features but adoration swimming in his eyes.

"Of course I don't mind. I was so pleased when Billy told me that you were coming back."

"Its only for the weekend Dad," I quickly added. Just long enough for Jacob to have a proper discussion with the pack, and for Edward, myself and the rest of my family -with the exception of Renesmee, whom we were all adamant should not be worried unduly – to conduct our own investigations. We wanted to ascertain if we could detect any change in the atmosphere around La Push that may have lead to the apparently irrational phasing.

"I know Bells, its fine," But Charlie's smile faltered as he said the words, giving away his real feelings of disappointment. My dead heart sank at the sight of his momentary vulnerability. We would have to come back again soon. "It's just great to see you now, no matter how long it is for."

His honesty crushed me further and although my face gave nothing of my anguish away, I struggled to find the words to respond.

"Have you seen Renesmee yet Charlie?" Edward interceded, having witnessed the agitation in my stance.

Charlie took his eyes off me and then refocused them on Edward. His arms loosened and I ducked out form his embrace only to encase myself in the protective hold of Edward.

"Is she here? Did she come with you? I saw Jake but Renesmee wasn't with him. Where is she?" Charlie's string of questions filtered through my quick mind.

Renesmee had arrived with us. She had been in the car with Edward and Jacob, when I had requested to be dropped off on that lonely street not more than four hours ago. I looked at Edward, whose face was calm, and I calmed too as I waited for him to answer Charlie's questions.

"Yes, she is here. She arrived earlier with Jacob, Bella and I. I believe that she is back at the house now, with Carlisle and Esme." Charlie made to interrupt but Edward second guessed his next line of interrogation and headed him off. "It is late, so I would imagine that she will be asleep. It has been a long day Charlie. Perhaps you could call by the house tomorrow?"

Charlie frowned, clearly impatient to see Renesmee, but conceded with a begrudging nod of his head.

Over on the other side of the clearing, I saw Sue detach herself from the crown of people gathered there. She approached us slowly but with a confidence that seemed almost arrogant. This reminded me somewhat of Leah, and how she sometimes conducted herself around my family and me. Sue stopped a little way away and looked hesitantly at me. I guessed the reasoning for her pause, sensing the now much more familiar lines of the treaty boundaries. She had stopped just on the edge of the La Push side. I watched as she sucked in a lung full of the cool night air and marched herself across the line to our side. There were no restrictions in that sense, just on us to theirs. We had been allowed to cross, but only by invitation.

"Bella," She greeted me with more warmth than I had anticipated. "It's so good to see you." She smiled warmly as she reached us, but instead of embracing me like a newly acquired family member might have ordinarily, she slid herself in next to Charlie and encircled her arms around his waist almost possessively. This irritated me more than anything. What was I going to do? Charlie was my father and I had not so much as inflicted even a bruise on him from a hug which may have been too tight. Nothing.

Edward picked up on my irritation and squeezed me gently. It was more than a comforting squeeze, it was a reminder squeeze - a reminder that I was still young and I still had to keep hold of my temper. I had been exceptional for a new born, if the truth were to be told. Far more than anyone would ever have imagined possible, but I was never to forget what I was. None of us were.

"Charlie, it's late. I think we should head home now." Sue soothed in a low voice. "You can see Bella and Renesmee tomorrow."

Remembering the secondary reason for our visit to La Push, I refocused my mind on the task in hand – anxious to get on now.

"Sue is right Dad, we have all weekend. I will see you in the morning." I said, more as a peacekeeping gesture towards Sue. I knew that we still made her uncomfortable, even after all this time. She had made the biggest concession by far and away, in giving up on her prejudices towards our kind and accepting me as a daughter – well almost.

Charlie kept his eyes firmly fixed on me as he was led slowly away, back into the boundaries of La Push. Once across the line, Sue – whether unconsciously or not, I was not sure – released her grip on Charlie's waist, and simply took his hand instead. My previous irritation flared but I doused the unjustified feeling and turned meaningfully to Edward.

"We need to talk to Sam," I said in an assertive voice. Edward nodded in agreement.

"Let's go."

We headed off together along the boundary lines, running to cover the distance quicker – although there was little in the way of deadlines for our mission, just the unnerving tension of the mystery itself.

I followed Edward, who was focused on Jacobs distant thoughts. He was so attuned to Jacobs internal monologues now that it was almost second nature, just like it was with his family.

"Not much further," Edward said as we flew through the thickening forest. I picked up the scent then - Jacob and wolves.

"Is it the whole pack?" I asked. I still found it difficult to differentiate between the vast numbers of werewolves that now inhabited La Push. Jacob was no problem, Sam Seth and a few of the other, older wolves I could pick out but, there were so many others now that the rest just all blended together into one mass of unpleasantness.

"No, not all of them," Edward replied, and to my surprise stopped abruptly. I breezed passed him, unaware of the reason for his sudden halt. I spun round to retrace the several paces I had covered to get back to him, suddenly nervous.

"What is it?" I whispered for only him to hear. He was staring off into the trees, at some distant spot across the treaty line. I followed his gaze when he didn't respond, but I failed to see anything of significance in the direction that he was now so intently focused on. My forehead creased with uncertainty.

"Can you smell that?" He finally asked in an inaudible whisper. I sniffed tentatively at the air. There was defiantly something, but it was very faint. Edwards many years of experience had meant that his senses were still a lot more refined than mine.

"What is it?" I questioned.

"I don't know, it's across the line, and very weak,"

"How old?"

"A day or two maybe, it's hard to tell."

"But why haven't the others..."

"I don't know. We need to find them."

And then he was running again.

The scent of the wolves got increasingly potent as we neared the far western ridge of the La Push boundaries. As the trees opened out into a narrow seclusion, we spotted them. Three of the wolves spun, and their hackles rows at our presence. But a low bark from the big black wolf in the centre of the grouping made the three fallback and their low rumbling growls cut off.

"Sam," Edward nodded his head at the large black wolf which was now approaching us. The wolf lowered his head in acknowledgement and then turned his head to the second wolf that was also now approaching. The big russet wolf was slightly larger than the black one, and it exuded even more of a sense of authority than the other.

"Jake," I mimicked Edwards tone as I greeted my best friend. The big wolf halted just a few steps away from us, and then turned abruptly and darted off in to the nearby trees. I looked up at Edward for an explanation.

"He has gone to phase. It will be easier to converse when I do not have to translate." As Edward spoke the words, Sam coughed a loud bark to the rest of the staring wolves and then followed the path into the trees that Jacob had just taken.

Edward and I stood motionless in the now deserted space. I listened to the sound of the padding paws on the forest floor, gradually fad into the less rhythmic sound of footfall.

Jacob reappeared first. He had adopted his usual 'wolf' attire of cut off jeans and no top. I rolled my eyes at him and he grinned widely back at me.

"Hey Bells, Edward, glad you could finally make it." He said in a sardonic tone. Edward ignored him, instead he responded to what must have been his unspoken words.

"So you are none the wiser?"

Jacob's mocking expression suddenly turned serious.

"No," He said flatly.

"Did you pick up on that trail? About 10 miles south from here."

Jacob frowned.

"How did you miss it? I thought the pack had the boundary line covered?"

"It is, but we can't be everywhere at once" He retorted defensively. "I can't speak for Sams guys, but Seth, Leah, Quil and Embry have had our lines covered for the last three days. Nothing would have got past unnoticed, believe me."

"Well what has Sam Said?"

"About what?" The reply came from behind us now. I spun to see that Sam was leading a large group of scantily clad followers to their previous meeting point. The unfamiliar faces of the group eyed us wearily, not taking the gaze off us.

Sam approached us, flanked by Paul and Jared on either side. This was more out of habit now then out of a defensive position as it had been in the early days of our alliance. The rest of the pack held back in the centre of the little opening. I scanned the crowd of wary faces. I could not see any members of Jacobs pack, only that of Sams, although the grouping looked immense.

"Edward said he picked up a scent not far from here. Did any of your guys come across anything?" Jacob answered Sams wonderings.

Sam looked confused. His brow furrowed in agitation.

"Where?" He asked simply.

"Just down the boundary line, south from here." Edward explained again.

I simply stood, watching the exchange of information and the reactions of the various parties. Sam clearly had no knowledge of the foreign scent in La Push and he did not look happy that this appeared to have been missed.

"He is new Sam," Edward answered another silent thought. Although I could at least hear both sides of the spoken conversation now, I still felt frustrated at the information that I was missing when it was not actually spoken allowed. I glowered at Edward, who knew instantly what I was saying, even without reading my thoughts.

"One of the younger members of the pack has been patrolling that particular area for the last few days now. Sam is not too happy that something has apparently slipped through the net, so to speak." Edward explained in an almost silent vibration of his lips. Despite the wolves heightened senses, not even Sam or Jacob would have been able to comprehend the rapid exchange. I saw, in my peripheral vision, one of the younger looking wolves cringe further into the protection of the large grouping of uneasy looking onlookers.

"I will look into it personally. If there is an intruder in the area, I want to know. That could explain things, although…" He trailed off in thought.

"Yes, quite. It doesn't really explain all." Edward continued on with Sams tacit speculations. "Regardless of the intruder, there is no reason for these sorts of numbers in the pack. There has never been this many in all the years we have been around here."

We all were silent for a time - each pondering the words past. As the tension mounted in the group, Jacob spoken up.

"Well this isn't getting us anywhere. We need to spread out along the line." Jacobs tone was full of authority, the voice of the true alpha filtering though. "Sam, I think my guys can cover more of the line. Your newer members can take the interior perimeter, and then we can divide up the remainder of the line between the others."

"We can cover the gaps Jake, what else are we here for if not to help." I spoke up, finally finding my voice again. Jacob looked at me speculatively and almost patronisingly to a degree.

"I don't know,"

"Don't give me that Jake, you know there are more than enough of us, and if you guys stick to your areas, Alice will be able to see."

He thought about that for an instant.

"I guess," His manner was reluctant but he had no way of arguing. He looked at Sam who was still scowling at the knowledge of the unknown visitor.

"I agree," Sams tone was just as reluctant as Jacobs, but like Jacob, there was no counter argument.

"Then it's agreed." I said matter-of-factly.

Edward suppressed a grin, and simply nodded his agreement. Jacob and Sam both looked at one another and then at me.

"It's agreed." They both echoed.

We discussed the finer details of the arrangements for the forthcoming patrols for a short period of time and then broke up the gathering, to each arrange the logistics of our individual groups. Jacobs pack was already running the line, so Sam had sent relief for them, for the remainder of the night hours.

Jacob was keen to be with Renesmee during the day, if only in the vicinity of her environment. He would therefore get some rest now and then pick up the line nearest the Cullen home, as that was were it was planned for Renesmee to be in the day light hours.

Sam was keen to get off to investigate the trail of the unfamiliar scent. He was unmoving on that fact, and so had wasted little time in organising the reminder of his pack to their designated patrol areas, before he took off in to the cover of the trees to begin his hunt. The still wary looking crowd followed closely behind, many still not taking their eyes of Edward and me.

After a short time it was just Edward, Myself and Jacob left. We all looked at one another and then followed suit, running back the way we had come – Jacob in the direction of La Push; Edward and I to our family.

Neither of us spoke on the run back. My mind was somewhere far away. So far away, I was not sure where my thoughts had taken me. A nagging scene in the back of my mind that played over and over again, but the incomplete images left little in the way of a coherent thought. I felt a thrill of unease shoot though my being.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15 – Conjecture

The next couple of days blurred together with the rapid passing of the hours.

Charlie had spent every waking moment that the weekend had allowed, in the company of Renesmee – who barely seemed to notice the shift like movements of her closest relatives, or if she did, she made little in the way of acknowledgment – at the big house.

With the strict lines that we had organised with the neighbouring wolves, Alice's vision was less impaired than it usually was in such close proximity. She had foreseen nothing coming to light as a result of our efforts, which did nothing to ease the air of unknowing that lingered.

So by the time the darkness approached on that Sunday evening, we remained none the wiser as to the reason for the mysterious new phasing. Sam had followed up on the trail but this was also to none avail. It simply passed though the boundary line on occasion and then disappeared off in the direction of Forks, fading as it reached the main street in the town.

The scent was too faint for any of us – even Carlisle - to really know when or how many there had been. Only one fact was concluded from our investigations; it was at least one, maybe two of our kind. That simple fact had Sam convinced that that was the reason for the new pack member.

I, myself, was not so convinced. It just didn't make any sense. For just two Vampires, the pack needed to grow to 20? Ridiculous! I could see from the lines etching themselves into Jacobs expression that his thoughts were following the same trail that mine where.

He didn't speak up though. There was nothing else that could be drawn from it, so there was no point in contradicting a theory that had the rest of the pack seemingly relaxed. Well, as relaxed as they could be with a visiting family of vampires such as ours in the vicinity.

We sat around the large familiar living room on the last evening of our time in Forks.

Renesmee was intent on a game of Chess with Charlie, both sat cross legged at either side of the low square glass table in the middle of the room. Charlie looking a little less comfortable than Renesmee on the soft cream colour carpet.

Rosalie and Emmett were working on a monumental dominos run, which circled Renesmee and Charlie twice before wounding in and around the rest of the room, in a seemingly never-ending spiral.

Alice and Jasper sat together on the small love seat in far corner, watching and tasting the mood – a calming atmosphere undulating from their direction. Alice was focused on something in the future but as when she broke out of her momentary trace, a contented grin spread across her face, there was no fear on my part from the vision. It seemed that too much of late had had me on the edge of my seat whenever I saw Alice slip into the future. I shook my head infinitesimally at the absurdity of my reactions. I would be more in control of myself next time. There was no reason for undue worry.

Carlisle and Esme were upstairs in their respective studies; Carlisle engrossed in his reading – I could hear the thin pages of the thick volumes turning as he processed the material at his astounding pace - and Esme intent on yet another set of blueprints.

Edward sat next to me on the piano stool. He was playing my lullaby, but I could sense his watching gaze surveying the profile of my face intently. I sighed deeply and spun round to face him. He smiled as the gentle melody slowed as it reached its end, and his skilful fingers weaved an alternative final set of cords together to form a more subdued conclusion to the sound. All the while, never once did he break the connection between our gaze.

We said nothing as we moved in synchronisation - both standing and heading in the direction of the front porch. Renesmee looked up as the music stopped and watched us as we left the room. There was nothing that had concerned her by our exit, just curiosity that drew her focus. I heard Charlie calling her attention back to the game with little resistance.

Edward and I made our way out of the house without saying a word, and made our way towards the edge of the darkening forest. There was a faint rustling of leaves under paws in the distance and I knew that Jacob was not so far away. Even so, Edward turned to me abruptly and stared meaningfully into my eyes.

"What is it, Bella?" I looked back at him questioningly.

I thought that I had been hiding the niggling suppositions that were playing at the edges of my mind. Clearly I had not been hiding them well enough, as Edward had obviously seen past my pretence. I looked away from his probing gaze, staring into the trees, in the direction of the pacing paws.

"I'm not convinced." I said simply. My voice sounded detached, even to my own ears, and I knew that Edward would pick up on that in addition to my distracted demeanour.

"By what?" he asked with tender concern.

"By any of it, Edward. I just don't understand why it has happened. It doesn't make sense. And I don't believe Sam's theory. It's all just circumstantial; there is no substance to the any of it." My confession came out in a rush but Edward showed no surprise.

He smiled at me as he ran his soft hand down the right side of my face, lingering at my neck and then sweeping down past my collar bone. The sharp pulsing of electricity, that always presented itself when he touched me, flushed all doubt and worry from my mind and I unconsciously moved my body closer to his.

"Bella," He breathed softly, in his angels' voice. "Whatever it is that is going on here, there is little that we can do. We have tried and we have found nothing. I am sure that there was something more than just a 'passing through' visitor of our kind, but whatever it was, it appears to have passed."

I eyed him incredulously; surely he didn't believe that anymore than I did. I wanted to protest but his hands were at my waist now, pulling me closer into his body. His mouth was at my neck and I felt his breath on the hollow beneath my ear as he whispered his pacifications.

"Alice will keep watch. We will see. And then we can return if anything untoward occurs again. Let Sam and the others draw what they will from their conjectures." His lips brush my ear and up the side of my face to my temple, where he paused to bestow a kiss and then retrace the movement back down to my neck.

My breathing faltered, as the electricity now surged in torrents through me.

I gasped as he kissed his way along the contour of collar bone, but at the same moment the pacing paws morphed into running strides. I groaned and rolled my eyes in frustration.

Edward echoed my sentiment but refused to release me from his unconventional hold. His hands still pulled irresistibly at my waist and his face was still pressed into my neck as Jacob emerged from the trees. As he caught sight of our intertwined bodies, he looked away, embarrassed and uncomfortable.

Edward chuckled and readjusted our stance to one which was somewhat more appropriate for when in the presence of others.

"Jacob," Edward greeted him as he approached us through the trees.

"Edward, Hey Bells." Jacobs voice was flustered, as though he had been in a rush to get to where he was now and in his next breath he confirmed my thinking. "Is Nessie inside?"

I looked at him with scowl on my face. "Where else would _Renesmee_ be?" The combination of the use of her 'Loch Ness Monster' nickname and his interruption made my tone slightly more acidic than perhaps he deserved.

I felt Edward suppress his laughter at my response. Jacob stared at me with a bemused expression on his russet coloured features. My irritation faltered and I sighed.

"She is inside with Charlie, Jake." He relaxed at the change in my tone and his eyes darted unconsciously in the direction of the big house.

"Thanks Bells, I'm just gonna..." He didn't finish his sentence as he crossed the expanse of land between where we stood and the house. His purpose was more than a little obvious. I followed his shape until it disappeared up the porch steps and into the house. I heard his enthusiastic greeting of Renesmee and then sniggered silently at her gentle rebuff. Her time with Charlie was too important – there being so little of it remaining for this visit - and their Chess game was far from finished. She knew that Jacob would understand and he showed this by taking a seated position at her side, contented by simply being in her presence.

I sighed again, reorganising my thoughts back into the moment. "Are we leaving tonight?" I asked in a resigned tone.

The edge of unease picked away at my calm, but I fought it back – I knew we had done all we could and the wolves would continue in our absence.

"I think its best." He studied my face and saw my reluctance. "You don't want Renesmee to miss the start of her second week of school." He replied softly, with a teasing smile on his exquisite face.

Of course he would have to turn it around like that. I knew that we could not stay in Forks, but being back, suddenly made me realise just how much I missed this small town. I smiled internally at the dim murky human memory of once having regarded this place as my own personal hell – that was until I met the reason for my existence.

"I guess we should get going then." My reluctance melted as I lost myself in his liquid gold eyes.

He smiled back at me - my favourite crocked smile - taking me by the hand, and leading my now befuddled self back to the house to rejoin our family.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16 – Encounter

The goodbyes had been infused with a whole host of emotions. Sorrow at the parting from our family and friends, but there was also uncertainty and unease, reluctance and scepticism, and worry and doubt all mixed in to the atmosphere as we had left. I was almost relieved in one sense, to be away from the tension. However, as I was now facing the monotony of our new school again, the relief was short lived.

I stared out of the kitchen window, watching as the sun rose behind the thick blanket of cloud. As I pondered the coming day, I winced at the thought of returning to the stares and whispers. Outside, a car horn beeped impatiently and I heard Edwards voice gently rebuking the only one of our group who was relishing the start of another school day.

With a deep sigh, I picked up my school bag and marched, begrudgingly to the purring motors which already had the majority of their occupants assembled within. They just waited on me complete the assemblage.

I trudged down the driveway to the idling Volvo. Edwards warm smile eased my pessimism slightly as I got in the passenger seat next to him. He stroked his fingers slowly down my left cheek and let them linger on my lips for a split second before the moment was interrupted again by a soft 'tutting' in the back of the car. I rolled my eyes and threw my head back against the headrest with resignation. Edward chucked softly and threw a disparaging look in Renesmees direction and then we were away.

We arrived at school early, which to some extent I as pleased about. At least there were fewer students around to stare. There were still enough of them about however, to make me grimace as we pulled up in front of the large outside picnic area.

I lingered behind slightly, watching from the safety of the Volvo, as the rest of my family disembarked from our convoy. Rosalie, who was clearly not so adverse to the attention, took the lead eagerly, revelling in the acute admiration. Edward was round at my door now, opening it and offering me his hand. How could I refuse, even if it was only to get me out of the car and onward to the tedium of another school day?

He stood his ground as I reluctantly climbed out of the car, making the space that I had to straighten up in minimal, forcing my body to press up against his. He said nothing as I stared into his eyes, captivated as I was by their beauty. It was a shock when his golden voice broke into my mind, bringing me back to the present with a jolt.

"Bella," He said hesitantly.

"Yes?" I breathed. He said nothing as he smoothed the crease that had formed between my eyes. "What is it?" I asked when he still hadn't said anything. He sighed deeply and then smiled. My breath caught.

"I love you." He said simply. I knew that was not what he had intended to tell me, but before I could ask more from him, he continued. "We should get to class."

I would have argued, but I saw that Rose, Emmett, Jasper and Alice, were already nearing the school building now, which meant my diversion would soon be disappearing out of sight. Edward unblocked my path and shut the car door behind me as I began to hurry away. He caught up with me at once, but I kept my head down and my eyes fixed firmly on the concrete pathway. I could feel his scrutinising gaze on me as we continued side by side, toward the main building. I let the corner of my mouth twitch up into the faint trace of a smile but kept my focus on the floor.

As we neared the edge of the car park, the hushed gossiping conversations floated their way over to me.

"Have you spoken to any of them yet?" A deep unfamiliar voice enquired.

"Are you kinddin'?" A slightly huskier boy exclaimed, "I haven't got a single class with any one of those chicks, let alone Renesmee! Life sucks!"

My pace slowed unconsciously and I felt Edwards body tense in the space between us. I peaked at him in my peripheral vision and saw his hands clenched into tight fists.

"Ha, unlucky dude, how are you gonna divide and conquer when you haven't got an opening?"

"Oh, you know me well enough Si," He paused and then laughed loudly at something before continuing. "I don't need an opening! Look at Serena, putty in my hands."

The boy who he had called 'Si' scoffed at his friends brash statement.

I felt my feet plant themselves as a growl began to rumble deep within me. But as my body tensed, my concentration was abruptly diverted. I felt the soft warm hands on my face, suddenly obscuring my vision and stopping me in my tracks. I smelt the perfectly balanced fragrance as I took in a momentary shocked breath. Beside me, Edward chuckled. It was a light-hearted, musical sound but the subtle undercurrent of the tension that I had witnessed in his clenched fists just seconds ago was still there.

"Guess who?" A scintillating voice whispered in my ear, her warm breath sweeping across my cheek. I couldn't help but smile.

"Hello, Renesmee." I answered, as I reached up to break her hold on my vision. I lifted our hands above my head and spun under them both in one fluid motion so that I was facing my assailant. She grinned, unrepentant.

"Hi," Her smile was brilliant, her eyes dancing with the fresh excitement of another week in school.

Her memories of last week and the excited anticipation of the forthcoming days flashed through our interlocked hands. When the images shifted suddenly, I knew where her mind had drifted. Jacob became the dominant focal point of the pictures that coloured my mind.

"Go Renesmee," I said in a low whisper. Her eyes blinked as she was brought back in to my presence and a wide smile fixed itself on her exquisite face.

"See you at lunch," she almost squealed as she turned gracefully to dance off in the direction of the familiar accompaniment to her already racing heart beat.

I watched as she sauntered gracefully back across the car park, to the now visible Jacob. As she was about half way between the two of us, she passed one of the picnic benches on the small grassy area to the right of the car park. Two boys were sat on the edge of the table with their feet resting on the bench, both blatantly following Renesmees path with their eyes wide.

I recognised the taller of the two, as the dark spiky haired boy from Renesmee's first gym class. The other one was slightly smaller with mousy brown tousled hair which he worn slightly longer and flicked over to one side. I scrutinised their stares as Renesmee reached Jacob.

The one I didn't recognise began to laugh as the taller ones face transformed into a deep scowl.

"Looks like you have lost already man, Unlucky! Hah!"

"Shut up Si, you know nothing." He said as he turned his scowl on him. "They are probably just friends. She has only been here for a week and he hasn't been here much longer than that. There's no way that he has hooked up with a girl like that in a week." He mused. His rationalisations weren't fooling anyone, not even himself judging by the furrowed brow that he now wore.

"Look John, Maybe you'd better give up on her, you have Serena and she is…Well alright so maybe not so much now, but she is definitely up their with the top hotties."

The boy named John turn to look defiantly at his friend.

"You know me better than that Si," He said scornfully. "I _always _get what I want."

I felt restraining hands grip my waist and I realised that I had unconsciously taken a step forward and was now sinking into my hunting crouch. The hands that held me were just as tense as my muscles were coiled in that moment. Simultaneously, both Edward and I regained our composure.

"They are just boys, Love." He pacified, but I heard the underlying irritation in his voice.

His smooth hand moved from off of my waist and wound his fingers into mine. I turned slowly to face him. He was closer than I would have thought and I blinked at the proximity. He grinned a wide grin - the same slightly crooked grin that never failed to astound me – and my mood shifted. Momentarily I was content, as I always was in his presence. But his words broke that contentment.

"School?" He reminded me.

"Urgh," I moaned.

He chuckled as he led me towards the entrance doors. My feet dragged like those of a sulky teenager, which in essence, I guess I was. Well for our current audience at least.

The halls were relatively quite – we were still fairly early – so I decided to use this to my advantage. As would be my routine for the foreseeable future – or at least for the remainder of the semester - I reached up to kiss Edward swiftly before I whirled around and darted off in the direction of my first class.

My plan had worked to some degree last week. I had gotten to class early and the attention had been minimal due to my 'intimidation tactics" employed at the start of each lesson. I would therefore adopt the same methods today, and the next day, and the next, until the humans learnt to avoid my eye contact all together. It would be easier for them and more comforting to just simply pretend that I didn't exist.

I had no need to be overtly speedy as it was still early; we had a good ten minutes before the start of class. My pace slowed minutely as I began to contemplate reworking my plan.

We had ten minutes yet. I hadn't realised that in my sudden rush of enthusiasm to get to class – okay so enthusiasm was a push. If I turned back now, I could be spending these minutes with Edward, before then embarking on my way to the tedium of the forthcoming lesson. Did I even need to go to first period? What was one lesson? It wasn't like I would be learning anything that I had not learnt before.

Lost in my thoughts as I was - even for just that short fraction of a second - the racing footsteps coming round the corner at me, completely escaped my attention until it was too late.

The small, mousey brown haired girl, whom I had just collided with, lay in a tangled heap of books and school bags. I stared down at her for a fraction of a second and recognised her in an instant. Tessa Mason, had glanced off my stone body with the same force as a tennis ball off a wall, and was now staring around with a slightly dazed expression on her face.

Major oops.

My mind went into overdrive. Not only had I not reacted the way that a normal human girl would have reacted – I should have been lying in a similar crumpled heap to the girl in front of me – but it was this girl; this girl that already had me on edge for some unknown and unnerving reason.

Only a fraction of a second had passed since our collision, and so I pushed my angst aside and fell down quickly to my knees beside the still befuddled looking Tessa.

"Are you ok? I didn't see you there." I said in what I hoped was a friendly voice. I had not had too much interaction with other humans – I had always tried to avoid it if I could, given the fact that conversational people attracted more attention.

Tessa looked up at me as she pushed herself up onto her left elbow. She blinked as she locked her wide eyes with mine. I heard her breath catch and her already accelerated heart beat speed up further. It was taking on the rhythmic tempo of Renesmees almost. I had to calm this girl, before it caused her medical problems.

I softened my features, and made a conscious effort to keep my teeth hidden as I smiled gently at her. She took a moment, still lost in my eyes. I tried to help her snap out of it by looking away, down at the scattered array of books surrounding her.

"Can I help you with these?"

"Errr, sure, thanks." She said hesitantly, sitting up straight now but still looking like she may have hit her head. Her eyes were wide and her breathing was staggered. I kept my senses on her, monitoring her breathing, her heartbeat, her posture – to make sure she had not actually injured her self when she effectively crashed into a rock. I smiled to myself wryly. Even as a Vampire, I obviously needed to pay more attention when walking in school. Although I was not a clumsy, fumbling human now, I could not afford to go knocking out unsuspecting school children if they were unfortunate enough to collide with an inattentive Vampire.

For a second I felt an overwhelming urge to comfort the girl. She was even more like me than I had first been reminded of. I banished that thought and emotion, as the unnerving familiarity threatened to break me from my act and send me running at my not so human pace, away from this strange girl.

I finished gathering up the books, with my back to Tessa. Her heart rate had slowed now but her breathing was still slightly erratic. I listened to her scrambling to her knees to help me collect her books, but I had already finished. I turned to hand her the pile and our eyes met again. Her reaction was different this time. Steadier. Her breathing remained the same erratic rhythm and her heart beat remained steady. I cocked my head to the side slightly and I felt my forehead crumply with the confusion of this reaction. How was she so quickly adjusted to my presence and proximity?

"Thanks," She smiled timidly at me as she went to take the stack of books from me. As I relinquished the pile to her hesitantly outstretched hands, she buckled under the weight of them and I realised that I had messed up again. The pile of books should have been an effort for me, as it clearly had been for her. The books were once again scattered across the floor.

"Oh, I'm sorry," She said as she hurried to restack the books.

I picked up the remainder of the books with her in silence, hoping that she would be too embarrassed to notice that I had held them like they were nothing more than a pile of feathers. I grimaced at my completely inept performance of normality.

As I piled the last one on, I caught sight of one of the titles on the binding.

"What are all these for?" I asked in a slightly bemused tone. Our reading lists for this semester were unbelievably basic, with Romeo and Juliet being the most advance by far. None of this stack of books would ever be in the contemplation of the teacher's lesson plans. She blushed again, the blood pulsing slightly faster through her veins.

"They're mine. I mean, well they're the libraries, I…" She trailed off, her blush deepening. I felt my throat burn subtly, although I knew that I was not thirsty. It was just the warm inviting shade that her cheeks had now become and the closeness of her warming skin. I held her gaze, waiting for her to continue but she seemed reluctant.

"You, what?" I prompted her after another moment's silence. She took a deep breath and then quickly expelled it in a gust.

"I like to read," She blurted out. Forgetting myself momentarily, I smiled at her until another stab of uneasy familiarity ran through me. "These are my favourites and I get a bit obsessive when I start one." She smiled timidly at me, but the smile quickly faltered as she took in my bemused expression.

What was it with this girl? I didn't get it at all. The unsettling familiarity was too much and I straightened up abruptly.

"I'd better be going, I don't wanna be late for class." I said briskly. I hesitated as I saw the chagrin on her face. "Are you sure you are ok?"

She blinked once, there was a sparkle of wetness in her eyes but then she blinked again and it was gone. She looked away as she got up onto her feet, stumbling slightly under the weight of the books.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She said in almost a whisper. I nodded and turned to walk away. "Thanks, Bella."

Hearing her speak my name froze me where I stood. I had had people address me by my name before, obviously, but this just sounded different. It resonated through me like an electric shock, and once again, I was unable to put my finger on the reason for the intense unease that was now sweeping over me. I spun back round to meet her still bewildered gaze.

"How did you know my name?" I asked abruptly. Of course she would know my name. Everyone in this tiny, inconsequential town would know my name. It was stupid of me to ask such a question but the words were out before I could stop them. She blushed again and looked down sheepishly at her feet.

"Oh, I…err, well, I err… I think you are in my English class." She said, looking up with an unsure look on her face. "I'm Tessa Mason; I sit about four rows in front of you, on one of the side desks." She looked down again quickly; clearly embarrassed at the level of detail that she was able to give me about the distance between us in the one solitary class that we had together. I pretended not to notice.

"Oh right, yeah, I thought you looked familiar." Then I grimaced at just how deeply that familiarity ran. I smiled somewhat half-heartedly and then turned on my heels to put some distance between myself and this strange human.

"See you in English." I heard her call after me but I was already round the corner and now moving at a speed that humans would not be able to see through the still empty hall.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17 – Watched

My plan had worked, in the most part, for the rest of that day. The only eyes I could not avoid were those belonging to the strange girl, Tessa Mason. Any time that the teachers back was turned or attention diverted from the body of the class, I felt Tessa's eyes flicker to me. I kept my focus forward and turned it to nothing else. Not even the perfection of the body in the seat next to me.

Edwards eyes were also on me. He could sense my tension and was measuring it intently with my every breath. I kept my shield pulled tightly in around me. I wanted no confirmation of my preoccupation with this unease which was taking on a mind of its own.

This odd behaviour went on for the duration of every English class for over a month. The intensity of Tessa scrutiny did not waver. If anything, it only intensified, so much so that on several occasions, she had been reprimanded by the teacher for not paying attention to that days lecture. All the while my anxiety grew, although I continued to keep it to myself.

Edward never questioned me on it. Occasionally I saw him shift his body slightly as though about to say something, but then I would see his expression change as he decided against it. I was glad he had thought better of it.

What would I say if he had asked me? I had no logical reason for this peculiar unshakable feeling that engulfed me when in the presence of this particular human girl. And it was only in her presence that I was so enveloped by this unease. As soon as the bell would sound, and I was out of the school building the feeling lifted, only slightly but enough so that I could continue on like any other member of my family.

This switch seemed to enrage Edwards curiosity further. I understood why. I would be exactly the same if the situation was reversed. Maybe I would not have been able to hold off in the questioning for as long as Edward had. This measure of self control that he possessed was far superior to that of mine. Maybe it was so great, for his time spent harnessing in his natural reactions when he was around me as a human. Time and time again, I had pondered the phenomenon that was his self control.

It was one Friday in October after a particularly uncomfortable English lecture, that I finally thought it had become too much. After yet another hasty exit from the class room at the final bell, as I continued out into the hall, I realised that Edward was some distance behind me. I paused in the middle of the quickly populating hall, listening to the babble of school children around me. I picked up Edwards footsteps in less than a second. They were about five paces behind me and I turned in time to greet him face to face.

His expression was the usual curious one that he wore after an hour of probing my silence; although this time he looked more… more decided. He said nothing as he reached me. Instead he simply tucked me under his arm and continued resolutely to the damp air of the car park.

It was raining, as it had been now, pretty much continuously for the last week. The earth was saturated and the water was now running over the ground, in rivers, washing over the concrete, forming a watery maze. I stepped out from under the shelter of the school building and felt the wind whip my hair up into a swirling tangle.

I sighed deeply. Edward turned to take in my slowly relaxing expression. He stared deep into my golden eyes and then seeing something in them, he sighed too.

"Bella," He paused. Sighing again, this time with a slightly ragged edge that confused me. I felt my forehead crumple minutely as I studied his face. There were indistinct lines of concern, but then, as I stared further into his eyes, I saw something else, that my own preoccupation must have marred. _He_ was exuding the same unease that I was feeling. This revelation sent my mind spiralling out.

What had I missed? Had I been so self absorbed with my own indirect infatuation that I had become unable to see what was going on around me? How had I missed such a subtly change in the face that I knew better than my own.

Abruptly I was appalled at myself.

"Edward?" I breathed softly, concern overflowing any previous anxiety for my own silent suffering. He looked down at our now intertwined fingers, took in a deep breath and looked back up. His expression had changed. No trace of the previous trouble lingered anywhere on his features. Only a faint shadow of it how swam in his mesmerising eyes. My frown deepened. "What is it?"

He didn't answer me. He simply smiled and smoothed my untamed hair, which was still flailing around my face. He traced the crease between my eyebrows with his forefinger, continuing to do so until I relented and the crease vanished. I was no more at ease but I could not help but let his soothing touch relax me.

I closed my eyes. The rest of the school was still filing out around us but their cumulative voices were all just a background hum. Only the familiar voices stood out. Edward pulled me towards him in a close embrace as I listened to Renesmee's soft voice travelling towards us.

"…only recently. I moved here with my family not long ago. Have you lived here long?"

"All my life, I live with my Nan just on the outskirts of town." With a start, my eyes flew open, although I kept my face pressed tightly against Edwards chest.

"Why don't you live with your parents?" Renesmee continued. Although the question was blunt, her tone had been that of such care, that the conversation continued without hesitation.

"They… they died, just last year."

"Oh Tessa, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to be so callous." There was a brief pause in the exchange before Tessa Mason began again.

"It's ok, you weren't to know. I don't think anyone has ever really spoken to me about it before. It's nice to have someone to… I mean, you don't have to worry about upsetting me or anything."

"What happened to them?" I could hear the confusion in the tenor of her voice. Renesmee could clearly not understand the casual way that Tessa was now talking about the loss of her parents. Although Renesmee still had both Edward and I, there had been a time that she had come very close to loosing us all.

"Animal attack, they say," Tessa's tone depicted her scepticism clearly.

I felt Edwards body shift awkwardly slightly and so I looked up, hesitantly. He wasn't looking at me. He was staring off into the distance somewhere, at apparently nothing in particular. I stared at him briefly and then looked around in the direction of the conversation between the two girls.

I could see them now as they emerged from the school building. They huddled underneath the canopy overhanging the entrance way that Edward and I had been stood under just moments ago. The majority of the student body had vacated the school building now and were dissipating hurriedly to each of their rides.

Renesmee's eyes were wide with a mixture of confusion and concern clear on her face. The colour seemed drained from it slightly under the weight on her torn emotions.

"They say?" She whispered, almost inaudible.

"That's what's on their death certificates, but, I dunno. Nan say's I need to let it go. _'They're gone Tessa, you need to move on.'_" Tessa's voice was a scornful mockery of what was evidently supposed to be her Nan's rebuke.

"I don't think I understand," Renesmee's confusion was plain. Tessa looked up at her, and she blinked rapidly as though waking from a daydream.

"Nothing, I don't mean anything. Sorry, I am just rambling. I do that sometimes. I should be going now," She pulled up her hood and then made to step out in to the pouring rain. She paused and turned back to look at a now slightly bemused looking Renesmee. "See you next week?" She asked. The uncertainty was clear in her tone.

Renesmee smiled. The car park suddenly seemed brighter somehow.

"Sure, see you next week. Have a nice weekend." She too pulled up her hood as Tessa smiled back at her and then turned to head off into the car park.

I followed her path through remaining cars as she made her way, head down, towards a slightly worse-for-wear looking, white Toyota. She paused as she got to the drivers side door, and turned again to look in the direction of Renesmee's now retreating figure. I saw where her eyes were headed before they reached there.

Renesmee was closing the distance between herself and where Edward and I still stood. Tessa was tracing that path with a wondering expression on her face. Determined not to let this child wreak any further havoc on my existence, I angled my body away from her and looked towards Renesmee.

Edwards posture had softened also, seeming to have had a similar reaction to the following gaze as I, although his focus had not diverted from his distant abstraction all the while.

"Shall we hunt tonight?" He asked casually as Renesmee reached us. Edward and I turned before she stopped next to us, and continued on with both our attention focused intently on our car.

"We went on Wednesday," Renesmee responded, as she skipped elegantly across a rather large puddle.

"We did. However, I would have thought with this weekends festivities, that you would want nothing to distract you from the celebrations."

Renesmee pondered that momentarily and then beamed.

"Always thinking ahead," she grinned. "Thanks Dad." She raced round the two of us to plant a delicate kiss on Edwards cheek.

"Renesmee!" I exclaimed, instinctively looking round to where I knew the curious onlooker was still standing. She met my gaze with every inch of curiosity that I knew she would.

Edwards pace quickened slightly in a bid to reach the safety of the car.

"Relax Mum," She whispered with hushed exasperation. "I am allowed to give my _brother_ a peck on the cheek!" She almost rolled her eyes with my apparent over reaction but stopped herself as she caught sight of my unimpressed stare. She bowed her head as we all ducked into the car in silence. The engine roared to life and I saw out of the corner of my eye, Renesmee wave slightly at the solitary figure now stood in the car park watching us drive away.

We were nearly half way home before Renesmee spoke.

"Are we all hunting?"

"Alice, Rosalie, Jasper and I are all hunting with you tonight." Edward replied.

"You're not coming?" Renesmee turned to me.

"No, I am sorting out some last minute arrangements with Esme for tomorrow."

"Is Jake not coming?" I turned to look at her in the back of the car as we turned off the main road to the long drive way. Jacob didn't hunt along side Rosalie. Renesmee knew this and looked away sheepishly as my raised eyebrows drew this to fact into her head.

"What's left for you and Esme to sort?" She asked, when I turned back in my seat to face front, just as the house came into view.

"Just a few bits and pieces, nothing major." In truth, there was nothing for us to sort as Alice had single-handedly taken on all preparations that had been requested of our family. My real reason for staying behind was to go talk to Jacob. We needed to make sure that he was 100% clear on what was going to happen tomorrow.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18 - Celebrations

The date was finally here. The day was perfect. The sun shone down brightly which would ordinarily be a hindrance. However, on this occasion, it simply enhanced the ambiance.

Walking over to the huge white marquee in the middle of apparently nowhere, the first thing that I noted, beside the ribbons of colour being projected from every direction, was the scent. I quickly saw why as we rounded the corner to the entrance of the somewhat surreal scene. Huge bunches of delicate white flowers – roses, lilies, orchids, tulips, gerberas, and delicate daisies of varying sizes - blossomed at the end of each one of the rows of white folding chairs. Garlands of pink and white roses trailed the lining of the large marquee and petals were strewn generously over the whole of the floor, creating a carpet of thick fragrance.

Each of the sides of the marquee had been rolled up so that the sun streamed in, illuminating the waiting crowd. An outside wedding in the middle of the day would be considered a fairly ordinary affair but when the guest list consisted of over 70 vampires, it made it something far for the ordinary. The location was secluded enough so that even the most avid of hikers would not happen across the gathering.

Music filled the air, extenuating the exquisite sensations that the surroundings were igniting. I recognised the melodies at once - Debussy's Clair De Lune - and I spun in the direction of the rendition. Edward sat behind the grand piano, with his eyes fixed on me. I beamed at him and my acknowledgement was reciprocated with such warmth that I had to fight the urge to tear my way through the growing crowds between us and… well; it was neither the time nor the place.

I felt Alice tugging forcefully at my arm, pulling me onwards up the isle. I kept my eyes fixed on Edward as he continued to play with his usual effortless perfection. I walked slowly behind Alice, unwilling to be parted from Edward – my sluggish pace a tribute to my reluctance - until she stopped abruptly and gestured to the row of seats beside her. I looked along the row and saw Carlisle, Esme, Rosalie, Emmett and Jasper already populating the majority of the seats. Mercifully, there were three remaining.

"Sit, Bella" Alice hissed.

"Glad you could finally join us!" Jasper chuckled. Alice glanced at him in earnest.

"Bella took a bit of persuading that this was the right outfit."

"Convincing!" I exclaimed as I took my seat. "Like I even had a choice?"

Alice simply smirked her cutest 'butter wouldn't melt' smile and I rolled my eyes.

The rows were almost full, when Garrett took his place at the front of the crowded setting. No one stood with him. He stood perfectly alone - content in his isolation - a nomad through and through, up until this union. He looked around at the guests and I saw the unmistakable joy in his expression.

I watched as his eyes suddenly darted to the back of the marquee. I moved my eyes with his. As we did, the music morphed into a new melody. I felt my mouth gape, as the dazzling beauty in a soft lilac floor length satin dress, glided up the isle leading the way.

Tanya and Carmen followed her, just a few steps apart. Both in similar satin dresses. Both utterly exquisite. Tanya's blonde hair had been twisted up into an intricate design, whereas Carmen had hers flowing elegantly over one shoulder, with a large lilac flower pinned at the back.

As astoundingly beautiful as they both were, Renesmee still outshone them by far.

Her tight bronze ringlets had been artistically swirled back out of her face and clasped with a similar flower to the one that Carmen wore. Renesmees delicate blush shone radiantly against her cream complexion. She looked mesmerising as she led the procession of bridesmaids down the isle, to stand in their places at the front of the watching crowd.

Renesmee's difference to the rest of the onlookers was even more apparent as she stood there in the light of the sun. Even more obvious then the gentle illumination of her rosy cheeks. Even more so then the steadily racing heart beat, the only accompanying beat to the music. Instead of adding to the countless rainbow sparkles dancing around the marquee, Renesmee simply glowed. It was a mesmerising soft luminescence that radiated out from her. It seemed to make everything that the glow touched, even more beautiful.

I heard the subtle exclamations as she passed by the various strangers who had not yet met her. Wonder, astonishment and intrigue filled the already charged atmosphere. Her curious thrumming heartbeat would be somewhat of a shock to some of the guests here.

When all three had reached their positions, the music transformed again and the sound of the traditional wedding march sent everyone spinning around once more in their seats to watch as Kate made her entrance.

If I had thought Kate beautiful before, then I was at a loss for words now. In a room filled with the glistening bodies of so many astoundingly beautiful Vampires, Kate was the only one to come close to the exquisite goddess like quality that Renesmee exuded. Admittedly I was bias, however even I couldn't argue with the overwhelming perfection of Kate's presence.

I turned my head back, to sneak a peek at Garret. He stood with his mouth slightly ajar, not breathing, not moving. He was simply staring, awestruck by the vision that was now approaching him at a majestic pace. There was no mistaking the elation in his frozen stance. His eyes shone with the reverence of a devoted partner, the same unwavering devotion that I never failed to see in Edwards eyes.

Garrets eyes never left Kate's for the entirety of the ceremony. They did not move from hers when Eleazar placed Kate's hand symbolically in his, nor when it was time for them to exchange rings. The only time that they moved off Kate's face, was when they closed as they had their first kiss as husband and wife. The crowd cheered in that instant and the two newlyweds broke apart to reveal mirror images of ecstasy.

The sound of the piano notes floating over the rapturous applause made me instinctively follow the melodic tones. Our eyes locked and I was held there, captivated by the beauty of both sight and sounds. My gaze was broken when the happy couple crossed in front of my line of sight. I blinked out of my trance, rising from my seat with the others, and then followed the gliding couple out of the marquee.

The rest of the day was less traditional. There was no need or merit to staging the formalities of the typical wedding. There was no one present in this particular gathering who would have appreciated the conventional theatricals of a wedding breakfast or even a cake. So instead, after the ceremony and the congratulatory greetings, the day blended seamlessly into a rapturous reception.

The grand marquee had been rearranged so that several tables, surrounded by the folding chairs, now encompassed a generous dance floor. I stood on the outskirts of the crowd, taking it all in. The piano that Edward had been playing earlier during the ceremony, had been moved to one corner of the marquee, and was now accompanied by and assortment of other instruments. All were waiting for their various players to take their seats and begin.

As the evening sun burned in the cloudless sky, the ribbons of colour being thrown by the glittering faces of the reception party across the vast clearing were tinged with a brilliant red.

I felt strong arms fold softly around my waist and I smiled in response to the whispered words in my ear.

"Have I told you that you look beautiful tonight?" I turned in his arms to stare up into his liquid gold eyes. He took in a sudden breath as our eyes met. "Actually, forgive me? Beautiful is most certainly an insulting severe understatement. I fear that there may be _no_ words."

I smiled up at him as I rolled my eyes. His answering smile was dazzling and it took me a moment to regain what little composure I had in his presence. I looked him up and down as best I could whilst still in the circle of his arms, to appraise him meticulously. I looked back up at him from under my lashes. "You know, you don't look so bad yourself." I smiled at what was the severity of my understated words. He was beyond perfection.

I remembered back to seeing him for the first ever time in a tux. Back in my human days – when he insisted that I should not miss out on any 'human experience' and for all intents and purposes, forced me to attend our prom. Urgh, that was an experience that I most certainly could have forfeited, although having Edward by my side, did make the whole situation bearable.

Back then I remember thinking that he was the most amazing thing that I had ever, and would ever see. I didn't think that beauty could be anything more. But then, I remembered walking down the isle, on the arm of my father, to join ourselves together forever. Again, he looked just mesmerising; radiating a golden glow with the depth of his joy. A mirror image of my own joy.

But as I stood and appraised him now, with my new eyes, I realised how wrong I had been. His suit was cut perfectly, empathising every aspect of him astounding physique. The colour against the pale of his complexion was heart stopping – for those who had a beating heart. I felt like it would restart my long since redundant beat.

With a slight shake of his head, he stooped down and kissed me tenderly, and then we whirled effortlessly onto the dance floor. We joined the now revolving happy couple and several other couples who were also moving gracefully to the harmonies that filled the glowing marquee.

It was not two songs in before I felt a gentle tap on my shoulder and turned to face an overwhelmingly radiant beauty, looking at me in a manor that could have melted the coldest of ice.

"Do you mind?" Was her opening question. I looked at Renesmee, and then to Edward, who looked for the briefest of moments, slightly torn. He recovered himself as I smiled and kissed Renesmee on her delicate rose cheek, whilst giving her Edwards hand. He looked back at me as he spun Renesmee under his arm and caught her again, pulling her into his arms. Smiling wistfully, they lost themselves in the rapidly swelling dancing crowd.

I moved swiftly to the periphery of the scene. I scanned the guests although I had no need to. The half Vampire still stood out, her cheeks highlighted with that same elegant rose colour. Kate and Garret were in the centre of the well-wishers and their joy seemed to emulate a brilliant light that was present even as the setting sun sank below the horizon and darkens engulfed the surroundings.

The festivities were in full throw as my attention shifted and I stared off into the encircling woods around us. I heard him before I could see him. He was down wind so his scent did not carry. I was pleased to observe that Jacob had remembered himself, and had not let his concern for Renesmee mar his better judgement.

I looked cautiously back around at the dancing crowds of Vampires, making sure that I was the only one aware of another's presence. All were either dancing, or were wholly captivated by it.

Night had fully taken over from the evening now, and the clearing was suddenly illuminated by the surrounding trees which had all been festooned with thousands of twinkle lights. Alice. I saw her smile at the magical effect and the gasps of appreciation.

I felt the undisclosed onlooker retreat from the intensified light. I sunk back too, away from crowded dance floor, to the seclusion of the encompassing trees. When I was behind the cover of the twinkle lights, I turned and ran to the disturbance in the silent forest.

Jacob was not that far away but as I closed the difference, I was vividly aware that something was off. There were too many pacing footsteps. As I rounded the next tree, I saw him. He stood tall, but he stood on four legs. This was not what I had expected to see – it was not part of our agreed plan. His human form was far less conspicuous.

But more surprisingly, was that he was not alone.

The sandy coloured wolf now only stood just a foot lower than the huge russet wolf that he stood by. Seth had truly grown into himself. He was no longer the gangly figure of a wolf that fought beside Edward all those years ago. I had not seen him in sometime. He had been out patrolling for the duration of our last visit to Forks and La Push. I shuddered slightly at the memory of why we had made that journey.

Again I wondered as to whether this was the reason for the new addition to the pack? I just didn't believe that. It simply didn't sit right. Surly we were far too far away from La Push for it to impact on the protecting packs? I knew that Sam had insisted in extending the boundaries of their protection and that Jacobs pack had been patrolling further and further a-field in a bid to follow Renesmee, but surely this was outside the limits that would affect them.

I stared into the deep eyes of the russet wolf. They were troubled, conflicted and above all pained.

"Jacob," I gasped. "What's wrong?"


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19 – Disturbance

It was a stupid question really.

I could feel the tension rolling in waves off his raised shackles. The vampires made his every cell tense.

Seth whimpered softly and my attention flew back to the direction of the party, waiting for some sort of reaction to the sound. None came, and the music continued to draw all to the now crowded dance floor.

I turned back to the waiting wolves with a disapproving expression on my face. What did Seth think he was doing? And more to the point, what was he doing here? I let my questions fly out at Jacob in a torrent.

"What's going on, Jake? Why is Seth here?" The big russet wolf looked momentarily between me, Seth and the barrier of twinkle lights. Then he turned quickly and darted off into the trees.

I stared into the darkness, following his path all the way until his tail disappeared behind one of the thickest trunks, then I could only stare into the emptiness. I looked from there, to Seth - who was staring at me in earnest, as if trying to communicate something vastly important - and then back again to the dark.

I felt Seth's intent gaze fixed on me as I continued my scrutiny of the trees. I felt the shimmer of the air and then Jacob emerged. Standing tall, wearing a baggy pair of sweats, walking barefoot towards us at the same time as he was pulling a black tee-shirt over his head. He didn't meet my focus until he stood with his toes almost touching the tips of my rather impractical delicate satin sandals. Alice had a lot to answer for, a small part of my mind thought.

Jacob towered over me in this position and I had to tilt me head up towards the sky to look at his face. He was staring over my head, so I was unable to make out his expression. When, after a long moment of building tension, Jacob eventually lowered his eyes to mine there was evident confusion there. A torturous pain that seemed to be tearing him apart. My eyes widened in what felt like blind panic rising up in me.

"_Jake!_" That was all I could get out. No more sound left my lips, despite them parting to continue with my line of questioning. Jacob took a deep breath and then his eyes seemed to harden with his resolve.

"I have to go," He said simply but with clear conviction. I moved my head back slightly as if I had misheard. I knew I hadn't and there was no mistaking the seriousness of his expression in this moment. "Something is going on in La Push, the tribe is in trouble."

I stood there with my mouth open and a dawning comprehension washing over me.

I had been right. The tribe was in trouble. The danger was nothing to do with this night. Not this gathering at least. We were not the cause of the latest recruit to the La Push protectors.

"Trouble?" I asked in an almost inaudible whisper.

"Someone was attacked," I stared uncomprehendingly at my best friend. His eyes looked years older than they really were. I felt my body freeze at his words.

_Someone was attacked._

"What? When? Who? Jacob!" I didn't seem able to string a coherent sentence together. The shock of what Jacob had said was still frozen in my every muscle.

"It was just this morning. The pack was divided, spreading the patrols too thinly, I think. He didn't see it coming, and they were both just so strong," His voice shook as he trailed off.

"Our kind?" I asked dully, although I knew the answer before his confirmation. He nodded once and then stared unseeingly off over my shoulder again.

"Who was hurt, Jake?" I whispered. He didn't answer.

I cupped his face in between my pale white hands – he didn't even shudder at my icy touch - and forced his face to look directly into mine. After a brief moment, his eyes met mine.

"Jacob, _who_ was it?" I repeated, surprised by the break in my voice. He took in a ragged breath, and covered my hands, bringing them down off his face to clench them at his chest. It was as if he was drawing some strength from the gesture, then he expelled his breath slowly, steadying himself.

"It was Colin, Bella. Colin was attacked."

I gasped, shrugging my hands out from under his now and taking a step back.

Colin? Not Colin.

Colin was just a boy; well he was still only young. He was one of the last ones to join before this new revelation. Why was he patrolling on his own?

In a corner of my mind, I recognised that Colin was older now. Not that much younger than the strong looking sandy coloured wolf stood just feet away from me now. I just saw him the same way I had all those years ago. But still, Colin?

Jacob had continued on with the story in the same breath. "The rest of the pack was all too far away. The bloodsuckers were gone before anyone got to Colin. When they tried to follow them, the trail disappeared off into the ocean. They got away." He said the last words flatly and with a bitter disappointment.

"Colin, but… is he… I mean what…" I stammered, unable to complete my sentence.

"He survived, just barely. He is recovering but it's gonna take a long time. He is in a pretty bad way." Jacobs expression was grave.

"We'll get Carlisle. He can help." I stated.

"Sam was hoping that would be the case. He sent Seth to get me and see if Carlisle would come too."

"Of course he will, Jake, you know that. Anything that we can do to help, you know we will." He smiled at my reassurance, but his eyes still held the deep despair I had seen in them earlier.

"Thanks, Bells."

"I'll go and get him now. The sooner he gets there the better for Colin." I went to move, back to the celebrations, but hesitated. "We will all come; we can help to track them."

Jacob shook his head and smiled. "Honestly, Bella. They won't get passed us again. Not with all of us on alert. There has been no sign of them since and Sam doesn't think that they will be back, but I am going back to make sure. They need me, Bella. And I have to go _now_." He looked hesitantly up at me and I knew what the pain now was in his eyes. Renesmee.

"You have to leave Renesmee." I said the words he couldn't speak. I knew that La Push and his tribe were fundamentally important to him but I also knew that his need to be near Renesmee underpinned everything that he was now. Yes there had been separation of the two before but never for more than brief excursion. The pain that this new revelation was causing was evident in every inch of Jacobs massive being.

He stood for a moment and then just nodded minutely, the movement was hardly discernable. I nodded too. Seth whimpered again, and this time I understood. I looked over at where the Seth now stood, looking anxious and keen to get back to his family. Of all the wolves only Seth would have been able to come to this place to find Jacob. Even Sam would not have been able to endure being this close to this many Vampire's.

"Go Jake, the sooner you go, the sooner you can come back to her." There was no comfort in my words but there was nothing else I could say. "I'll send Carlisle tonight. He won't be far behind you."

There was a moment of utter silence. Even the music from the wedding party seemed to pause in that instant. Jacob and I simply stared at each other; unspoken despair echoed each of our faces.

Jacob broke our gazes and fixed his focus to the scene past the concealment of lights. I didn't need to turn to know where his eyes were at. I could hear her racing pulse, fluttering even more rapidly with the excitement of the evening. I could hear her delicate cries of joy as she revolved on the dance floor. Jacob looked like he were about to bowl me over and close the distance to embrace her, but then his eyes hardened and he turned abruptly to Seth.

"Lets go." He turned back to me and stared intently at my face. "I _will_ come back Bella, I _will_ be there for her. I love you, Bella." The intensity of his words stopped my breathing. He looked briefly over my shoulder again, then bent his head and kissed me on the forehead. "Keep her safe." He whispered, and then he turned and ran off after Seth, quivering violently as he rounded the thick tree he had disappeared behind before.

I stood there for a moment longer, replaying the last few seconds over and over in my head. His parting words had frightened me. Had he not told me the whole story? Was there more danger than he had let on? Of course he would be back. I hadn't even considered that fact that he wouldn't. I shook my head quickly to dispel the apposing thought as quickly as it had manifested itself.

I turned, and took a few steps closer to the barrier of lights. Then, I hesitated just behind screen of twinkling trees. I turned my head over my left shoulder, to look in the direction of the ever fading sprinting pace if the two wolves.

"Be careful." I whispered earnestly into the darkness, as I stepped through the sea of brightness to rejoin the rest of my family.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20 – Waiting

Carlisle left for La Push as soon as I explained to him. His black medical bag was already in his new Mercedes – he very rarely travelled without it, a force of habit which, in this instance I was immensely grateful for - which was currently situated at the Denali clans house, a little way away from the wedding celebrations. Although he had not waited for the whole story, he was content with his purpose as soon as I had mentioned Colin's condition.

Esme and Edward had watched curiously as I interrupted Carlisle mid dance with Rosalie, and then their curiosity had changed to concern, when Carlisle had hastened over to the newlyweds to bid his sudden goodbye. Kate and Garret had watched quizzically as he bustled his way through the remainder of their still rejoicing friends and then blurred with speed as he cleared the edge of the crowd.

Edward and Esme neared me as soon as Carlisle had gone and so I explained the conversation with Jacob which had just transpired.

"Is there nothing we can do to help?" Esme had asked when I had finished.

"Jacob is confident that they have the situation under control." I paused momentarily as the last instant of the scene with Jacob flowed through my already racing mind. I continued on though so that none would have noticed – none except Edward. "They are sure that this was just an isolated incident," The concern in Esmes eyes was a tribute to her compassion. I tried to nullify her worries with the same half truths I was telling myself. "They just wanted a doctor for Colin."

After a brief moment she had nodded, then looking round at the busy dance floor, pondered the same thing that was on my mind.

"Do you think we should go too? Home I mean?"

"No," Edward said without hesitation. "There is no benefit to that now. We can wait until later, let Renesmee and the others have their fun."

Just at that point, Eleazar had swooped in next to the still troubled looking Esme, and kissed her politely on her hand.

"May I?" He questioned. Esme glanced at Edward and me before letting herself be swept off into the centre of the crowd.

Edward watched her briefly and then I felt his watching eyes on me. It was a moment before I returned his gaze. I smiled up at him with as much sincerity as I could muster but he was not be fooled. He raised one perfectly formed eyebrow at me and waited for me to talk.

"I'm worried, Edward. Something still doesn't sit right. Either Jacob wasn't telling me everything or there is something more to come." He let my words take heed and then pulled me in close to his chest.

"Whatever it is, we will sort it." I made to protest but he continued. "Whatever it is for the moment, between Jacobs and Sams packs they will be better placed to handle it. I do not imagine that either Jacob or Sam will allow anyone to be out of reach for the foreseeable future. It would be a fool who repeated an attack of such like again, anytime soon. And Carlisle will be there in a matter of hours to tend to Colin." I couldn't argue as his words were without a fault. "So with that being the case," He made to take my hand in his and bowed elegantly to kiss it tenderly. "Would you allow me the honour of this dance?"

We left the party in the early hours of the following afternoon, although it was still in full swing and there was no sign of it dispersing anytime soon. It was only when I had caught sight of Renesmee subtlety trying to stifle a yawn, that I took the opportunity to make our exit. Edward was in agreement with me and we went to find Esme, who was going to share a ride back with us, what with Carlisle having already taken their car.

Alice, Jasper, Rosalie and Emmett decided that they would stay, at least for a little while longer, and they had all assured Esme that they would be home in plenty of time for school the following morning.

Renesmee's eyes had closed the moment that we got in the car and only managed a slightly questioning look at Esme as she got in the car in the seat beside her. The drive home was subdued and to my intense relief, quick. We arrived back in front of the enormous garage before the first sign of the suns rays beginning too retreat behind the surrounding trees.

Edward carefully carried Renesmee who was still sleeping deeply, into the house and straight up to her room. Once laid on the bed, I gently changed her out of her lilac dress and into a white cotton nightdress. I tucked the sheets in around her angels form and swiftly took out the floral hair pin to let her curls cascade around her porcelain face. I took a silent step back and then bent down and kissed her softly before leaving her to rest.

To my relief, it was only with the rising brightness of the morning that I heard the stirring of sheets from her room and then the soft footfall across the hall and down the stairs. Edward, Esme and I had remained in the living room awaiting Carlisle's phone call. It had arrived just a short while after I had left Renesmee's room. He had arrived and had seen Colin already. His wounds were extensive but nothing that Carlisle could not put right. They were not much more than those Jacob had sustained against the newborns all those years ago. And from what he could gather, there were no further sightings or suggestions of any more unwelcome visitors. Esme looked relieved, but something inside me just couldn't grasp that same relief.

I put the nagging uncertainty to the back of my mind when Renesmee joined us; exuding the same blazing smile she greeted us with every morning.

"Morning Mom, Morning Dad, Morning Esme. Where is everyone else?" She questioned. Esme explained that Alice, Jasper, Rosalie and Emmett had stayed behind at the wedding but that they would be home presently. Then she paused when she realised that she was unsure of what explanation we would want to give her for the absence of both Carlisle and Jacob. She looked swiftly and yet subtly at first Edward and then me.

"Carlisle has gone out to see a patient; he said that he would be away for a couple of days. And Jacob has gone to see Billy in La Push." He studied Renesmee's reaction, as I did, before he continued. "I think the last trip must have made him homesick, or else he forgot to pick up the rest of his stuff." He said this with such assured calm that I almost believed him myself. Centuries of carefully constructed partial truths made them come so much easier, I thought, it would be a long time before I was that spontaneous or convincing.

I watched the expression on her now slightly paling face. A wash of guilt, concern and bewilderment was sweeping over her. She said nothing as she sank onto the white leather of the loveseat in the corner of the room.

I heard Edward take in a sharp breath. "No, Renesmee, No." He said in a gentle assurance that shocked me. I watched his face pain and I went to her immediately in response to Edwards reaction, putting an arm around her and looking at her with gentle eyes. She took my hand which had fallen into my lap and placed the soft palm of there other hand against my right cheek. Her anxiety for the reasons behind Jacobs sudden departure flowed through my mind as she replayed the conversation that she had had with him about her attending the wedding. She had somehow deduced that Jacob had been angry at her for putting him through this.

My vehement denial of this was as instantaneous as Edwards had been, and I was struck by the guilt of keeping the real reason from her. But what else could we do? What other explanation could we offer her that would not worry her and cause her a much worse anxiety? That Jacob was off tracking down a couple of vampires that had attacked one of the pack? No, I knew what her reaction would be to that, she would go to Jacob. And that was just simply impermissible.

Edward didn't need my shield removed to know my mind as I sat next to our daughter, griped by her concern. He moved across the floor as smoothly as a skater on ice, and took both of us in his arms.

The phone rang as he reached us and Esmes quick hands had it answered before the end of the first ring.

"Hello," She answered in a cool and relaxed tone. I had no trouble hearing the response on the other end of the line. The cheerful voice was accompanied by the gentle opulence of piano music.

"Hi, Esme. It's Alice."

"Hello Alice, How is the party going?"

"Oh its wonderful Esme, I couldn't have planned it better myself." There was a gentle chuckle which was like the chiming of bells.

"It sounds like it is still going strong. What time do you think you will be coming back? School will be starting in just a few hours."

"Well, that's why I was calling," She paused for a fraction of a second. "I don't think we need to be rushing back. We are not going to be able to go to school for a couple of days, the sun will out and the cloud cover is not going to be enough for us. 'Patchy and intermittent' I believe they will forecast." Esme frowned. "So Tanya and Kate have said we can stay here till the party runs its self dry, no point in finishing a good party prematurely. Besides, Emmett and Jasper want to hunt again, and by all accounts, the bears are pretty grizzly round here."

There was a pause before Esme replied. "Oh, ok. Just don't stay away too long Alice, I am sure that this sunny spell will not be prolonged and I don't want you missing any more school than is necessary." I smiled in spite of myself at the 'mom' tone Esme used.

"Yes, Mom." Alice replied with her singing voice, and an indulgent undercurrent.

The receiver clicked off and Esme placed the handset back in the cradle.

"I can still go though, cant I?"

I straightened up from my embrace of Renesmee to stare at her.

"What?" I questioned.

"I can still go to school, cant I?" She looked at me straight in the eyes, a look of sheer determination on her face.

I looked at Edward to see if I had understood properly. Renesmee going to school without the backing of her family; was this what she had asked for? When I didn't respond after her second time of asking, she too turned to Edward. His eyes were as bewildered as mine, but he pulled in his expression before Renesmee could read his uncertainty.

"I… I don't see why not, If Alice is sure that it will be safe for you." Renesmee rolled her chocolate brown eyes and stared back at Edward with rekindling assurance.

"Dad, c'mon, you know I am ok in the sun. I will be fine. Alice said it will be cloudy,"

"Just not enough for us." I finished Renesmee's argument although I was at a loss to know why.

There was no way that I was comfortable with this idea, although maybe this was what Renesmee needed to keep her mind off the absence of Jacob. She loved school and she was thoroughly enjoying the experience. Was there really any harm to letting her attended? Edward and I would of course be close by, just not in sight. I glanced at Edward again and saw from his thoughtful expression that his mind was of the same set as mine.

"Very well," he said finally, and a light spread across Renesmee's face that had not been present in the moments preceding Esmes phone call.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21 – Going solo

I clutched at Edwards hand tightly in my own, willing for him to give me the strength to keep my feet firmly stuck to the place that I now stood. But as Renesmee's luminescent figure disappeared into the seclusion of the school building, and I looked up at his face, I saw the same struggle etched on his face as I knew was on mine.

Unlike me though, he could still see her; through the eyes of those humans that now surrounded her. As anxious as I was, there was some measure of comfort to be taken from at least one of her parents seeing her. And besides, I could still hear her. I closed my eyes and sat back against the trunk of a nearby spruce, and traced her fluttering heart through the school to her first lesson. It slowed infinitesimally as she took her seat. It seemed slightly further in the room then where she ordinarily sat, when she was with Rosalie and Emmett.

With my eyes still closed, I threw my scenes out as far as they would go, picking up every movement within that building, whilst all the while I kept my hand firmly wrapped in Edwards, to absorb even the slightest flicker of uncertainty. There was no movement from either of us throughout that whole first period, but when I heard the first bell of the day, I felt Edwards hand flinch ever so slightly and my eyes flew open and straight to his face. I relaxed again when I saw it; the tension in his stance seemed to have lessened minutely.

Neither of us said a word for the remainder of the morning, both keenly aware of everything that was going on in our immediate surroundings. Renesmee had had a quiet start to her day but as it progressed her interaction with the students around her had increased exponentially.

The humans seemed to have no problem with Renesmee. There was never the same nervous tension and deliberate evasion that there was with any of the rest of her family. In fact, it seemed to be quite the opposite; they seemed to be drawn to her.

At lunch, I saw her hesitate under the canopy of the entrance hall, with a tray of food carefully balanced in one hand. She paused as she looked up at the sky. The cloud cover was slight, but I knew that it would not betray her. She seemed to agree and cautiously took a measured step out into the open air. Even in the full light of the blazing sun, Renesmee wasn't betrayed as we were. She simply just had even more of a glow then was her usual aura.

There were a few picnic benches out on the front lawn of the school, in front of the parking lot and she took up a seat facing into the deep forest that surrounded the far side of one end of the school. She looked over at where Edward and I were still sat and she smiled reassuringly. I knew she could see us even through the screening of the thick vegetation we were crouched behind, and it was immeasurable comfort to be able to see her.

Edward relaxed and reached out to me. I felt myself relax further as he held me and I smiled for the first time since Renesmee had entered the school building. His soothing lips rested gently in my hair and his delicious breath saturated it as he exhaled.

"She's doing fine." He breathed, although it seemed like it was as much of a reassurance to him as it was to me.

"I don't know how she does it, are you sure she is really a half Vampire?" Edward smiled my jested scepticism. "No one even hesitates near her. It's just the opposite, she's like a magnet." I frowned at my own statement.

"I think she could shake off a crowd if she so desired." His eyes moved from my frowning face to where Renesmee sat on the picnic bench before continuing. "But she has no inclination to do any such thing. She is enjoying the interaction."

My frown deepened. "All the more reason for us to get back to school." I muttered. Edward chuckled, louder than I would have expected from him given our present state of concealment. I saw out of the corner of my eye, Renesmee turn in our direction. She smiled and then lowered her head back to the book she now had laid out in front of her.

"I never thought I would hear you say that, Bella." He chuckled, and I couldn't help but laughed too. Just a brief exultation, but it lightened the already lightening atmosphere.

I sat, reclined in Edwards arms, his chin resting on my shoulder. We were both breathing softly watching the bronze tones dance in Renesmee's hair as the wind moved it gently. It was short lived and I felt Edward suddenly tensed again, and abruptly move out from behind me, instantly springing to a crouch. It wasn't a hunting crouch, but one to better see the area in front of us. I moved the second after he did, mirroring his stance.

"What is it?" I whispered. He didn't answer, but his eyes were intent on something just beyond where Renesmee sat. I followed his glare and I saw it. Across the yard, a tall guy with dark spiky hair was making his way over to where Renesmee was sitting alone. The look on his face was that of evident purpose. A growl began to build deep in my frozen chest and I felt Edwards hand wrap itself over mine.

I saw Renesmee's dawning awareness of approaching company, but she gave nothing away for human eyes. He was almost in front of her before she looked up. I saw his eyes dilate slightly and heard his breathe catch as she met his eyes with her deep chocolate stare. He hesitated and it took him a moment to regain his almost arrogant composure. All the while Renesmee kept her expression neutral but a faint smile played around the edges of her lips.

"Hi," He said lamely when his heart rate had begun a regular rhythm. Renesmee smiled gently and he blinked before continuing. "Err, I'm John, do you mind if I sit here?" Renesmee shrugged and gestured serenely to the empty seat in front of her. "You're Renesmee, right?"

"I am," Her voice was light music in comparison to the boys flat bumbling tones. "I think you are in my gym class." She made it sound like she was unsure but she was well aware of each student in each of her classes. Although her previous experiences of that particular class had her attentions firmly focused on Jacob, her usual possessive focus on him at all times. Regardless, the boy now sat in front of her now seemed elated at her recognition and continued on enthusiastically.

"Yeah, that's right. How come you are out here on your own? Where are all your brothers and sisters today?" I doubted very much if he had any real interest in where her family was really at, but he went along looking almost genuinely concerned. Renesmee's eyes hardened slightly, but they remained kind.

"Food poisoning," She replied with a wry smile on her face.

"What, all of them?"

"Yes," She replied looking regretful. "It was our cousins wedding this weekend just gone, and Alice, Jasper, Rosalie and Emmett, haven't even made it home yet."

"Really?" For a split second he actually looked sympathetic, but that look disappeared as quickly as it had arrived.

"Yeah, it was really sudden, so Aunt Esme, brought me, my… my brother and my adopted sister home early. It was too late though, Edward and Bella," She said our names with a touch of hesitation. "Well, they must have had the same thing the rest of them did because they got sick too."

"So you're on your own today." It wasn't a question, just a very obvious observation. "That must be hard for you," She looked at him questioningly. "Well, what with it being a new school, new people and none of your brothers or sisters here to help you."

Renesmee looked affronted and glared at him from across the table. "I don't _need_ their help," She exclaimed. "I am more than capable of looking after myself!"

"Oh, yeah, I mean, sure you are," He spluttered. "I didn't mean to offend you."

From his somewhat taken aback expression, I had the distinct impression that he was not used to girls reacting this way to him. He back tracked. "I just meant that it must be strange not to have them with you." She wasn't fooled. She scowled slightly as he continued on with his attempt at a cover up. "But I guess, what with such a big family, you don't get much time away from it all." His expression changed. His confident smile was reforming on his tanned face. Edward shifted lower down to his crouch and from a sideways glance I saw his lips pull back ever so slightly from his teeth. "I would be happy to help you with that if you like. We could go and get something to eat, I could pick you up tonight or we could go straight from here."

Renesmee's appearance was cautious but refined as she paused slightly before responding. "That's very kind of you, John, but like I said, I can look after myself." He made to intercede but she continued on swiftly, not allowing him the break he needed for his argument. "And besides, I am sure that my family would be grateful of my presence tonight. Aunt Esme will need my help."

He looked putout, but she sat resolute and unwavering. Her air of absolute transparency left John no room to doubt her, and left me feeling slightly awestruck. Renesmee was almost as accomplished at this as Edward was. I looked round at him now. He had relaxed again and I now saw that he was wearing a look which was a mixture of pride and a mild sheepishness. He smiled at me as our eyes met.

"She is quite the actress, I guess we know she didn't get that from me," I said in a low voice. Edward smiled more widely and the sense of pride became more pronounced.

"Maybe we should give her a little more credit. She is handling herself rather well, don't you agree?"

I looked back at the two figures on the nearest picnic bench. The boy was now trying desperately to think of a comeback on this one, but apparently coming up blank. I couldn't argue with Edward. Renesmee had put on a wonderful performance.

"Shall I walk you to gym?" He finally asked. Renesmee thought about this for just a short moment before answering.

"I will be along in a minute, you go ahead. I'll see you in class." The way that she said it was flawless. She left him with no choice but to walk off on his own, back in the direction of the gym.

Renesmee watched him as he walked away and then as soon as he was far enough away, she got up, turned and ran for the cover of the trees. She made it through the ferns and into the cover of the thick trees, as Edward and I stood up. She stared intently at the pair of us.

"Have you heard off Jake?" Her question caught me by surprise but seemingly not Edward, who would have had a little forewarning from her thoughts.

"No," He replied in an apologetic tone. Renesmee nodded faintly and turned dejectedly to leave the shelter of the trees. "Renesmee," Edward called softly before she made it to the edge of their cover. She looked back over her shoulder; her long bronze ringlets fell off her shoulder and cascaded down her back. Edward paused, seeing the paid line which had formed between her brows. He seemed to change his mind on what he was going to say. "Enjoy the rest of your day." She smiled weakly and went on her way.

At that moment, my anger and frustration seemed to overcome me. I was mad. Mad at Jacob for not being here, mad at the sun for keeping me away from her but more than anything else I was mad at myself for not telling her the full story. I hated keeping this from her, but I knew how she would react. She was exactly like both Edward and I, stubborn to the core. She would not be content with waiting to simply hear off him by phone call. She would want to be there, and in this fact lay the necessity.

The rest of her day was more subdued. I listened attentively as I had throughout the morning. John was trying relentlessly to get another way into the circle of her friendship, but she stood resolutely by what she had explained at lunch. Not once did she falter or deviate even slightly from her story.

Finally the bell rang for the end of the day.

As Renesmee emerged once again from the school entrance, I watched as she said goodbye to a group of students from her art class and made her way across the car lot to the more commonly used paths towards the forest. As she passed the long line of cars, I saw her pause. At first I was unsure as to why, but then I saw a young girl, sliding out from between a battered looking Toyota and a shiny black pick up.

I had been focusing my attention too intently on Renesmee to acknowledge that the shy greeting had been directed at her. The small female figure had her back to us as Renesmee approached but that didn't stop the wave of vertigo that struck me quite by surprise.

"Hey, Tessa," Renesmee greeted. "I haven't seen you around today. Are you ok?"

"Hey, Renesmee, I didn't think you were in today." I saw Renesmee's brows pull together slightly.

"Why?" She asked. I couldn't see Tessa's face still but I saw her shuffling from one foot to the other in an awkward manor.

"Well, I… well, I mean I didn't see you at lunch and I didn't see Bella in English. She's your sister, right?"

"Mm-Hmm," Renesmee answered coyly.

"And Edward, he's your brother isn't he? He wasn't in class either."

"Yeah, um… they're both ill… food poisoning."

"Oh no, that's awful." The shock and concern in Tessa's voice took me by surprise. Renesmee was quick to reassure.

"They will be fine in a day or two, just some bad wedding food I think." She flickered a slightly nervous glance over at the covering foliage that Edward and I still hide behind. "But I had better be getting home. I don't want Aunt Esme to worry." She turned slightly on her heels.

"Hey, do you want a lift?"

No, Renesmee. Just say No. I pled silently to myself, confused by my own reaction. What was it with this girl? She had done nothing untoward to me or any of my family. She had smiled and been nothing but polite, and here all she was doing was offering my daughter a ride home from school to save her from walking alone. What was my issue with her?

Renesmee looked lost in thought for a fraction of a moment and then she looked up and smiled with thanks.

"That would be great, thanks Tessa. But can you maybe drop me just at the cross roads just off the main street. I need to pick up a few things for my Aunt."

"Sure." Tessa turned then and I thought that in the second of her turning, that she too looked over towards where I now stood frozen, watching Renesmee climbing into the car of this strange girl.

Once in the car, I saw Tessa grimaced and Renesmee giggle, as the engine protested loudly at being started.

I turned without thinking and raced along the track, still in the cover of the trees, to follow the path of the now accelerating car.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22 – Realisation

Edward caught my hand as I sprinted along the road just under the protection of the trees, beside the rusty white Toyota and with a gentle tug, pulled me to a reluctant stop.

"Bella!" His tone was such that I regained my wavering grip on the here and now. The world outside came back into focus as my tunnelled vision on the car now driving slowly away expanded.

"Renesmee," I exclaimed in barely more than a whisper.

"Renesmee is fine. Bella, talk to me, what is going on?" His voice was strong and in no way panicked, just concerned for me I thought. There was no break in his grip either, which was not painful, just fixed around my right hand.

I opened my mouth to speak but words failed to sound. Edward pulled me tightly towards him and held me there, smoothing my windblown hair away from my face and gently caressing my neck with his downwards stroke. "Tell me," He pleaded softly. "What is it that you have been keeping from me? What is it about this girl?"

I should have known that he would see the cause of my agitation as if they were his own. Edward knew me as well as he did himself. I felt a sense of shame creep into my consciousness for my silence, knowing how it would have been eating away at him as much as it had been at me, even though Edward would not have know the exact reasoning for this feeling.

But then, did I even know myself?

I felt the prickling sensation in my eyes and although no tears fell, I instinctively buried my face in the cover of his chest. His strong muscular body and his perfect scent were both an endless comfort as I tried desperately to get a hold of my erratic thoughts and bring them to some sort of coherent conclusion.

"Bella?" He urged in another soft whisper. His lips brushed the top of my head before he pushed me away from him slightly and moved one of his protective hands to gently put a finger under my chin and pull my face up so that it was impossible to do anything but gaze into his liquid honey eyes. They seemed to blaze with the mixture of emotions swimming in them.

"I… I don't know," I replied feebly. "I really don't know, Edward. I can't explain it. I just don't know." I was babbling but the contortions of words were flowing, even if they made little sense. "It's just her, the human girl, Tessa. The way she looks at us, the way she looks at me. It's like she _knows_."

And there it was; the reason for this twisting agony of uncertainty suddenly becoming luminously clear.

It was as if she knew.

I gasped and Edwards eyebrows pulled together. "She knows!" I breathed. "She knows, Edward!"

And she didn't just know, but she knew everything.

Who we were… who we _really_ were. Not Bella Swan, new girl and adopted child. But Bella Cullen, the Vampire.

I saw a flicker of unease cross his chiselled face. But it was only that, just a flicker. I felt my forehead crease with confusion. His stare bore deep into mine and I held his gaze, not wanting to miss even the minutest detail of emotion.

He took a deep breath and released it slowly. It swept across my face as gently as a caress. He moved his hand from under my chin to the top of my face and then began to slowly run it through my hair, round to my neck and then back round to cradle my face.

He didn't say anything for a long moment and eventually the suspense just got too much for me. My patients as a newborn still left something to be desired.

"Edward?" Still he didn't speak. "Please, Edward, say something."

Then he smiled all traces of any consternation gone.

"We'll deal with it." He said simply.

"Excuse me?" I failed to keep the dismay out of my voice. "Edward, I think Tessa knows about us." I said again, in case that by some strange chance, he had misconstrued what it was I was trying to say. Surely he had. How else would he be so calm about this?

"I heard you, Bella." He replied with a gentle smile and an almost undetectable trace of my cheek with his thumb.

"But…"

"All I meant was that I will pay closer attention to the situation," When I failed to look any less anxious, he added "and we can speak with Alice to see what she thinks."

Alice. Why hadn't I thought of Alice before? Of course she would know. I mentally scolded myself with my one sightedness and thanked whatever forces it was that had brought someone as brilliant as Edward into my existence.

His cell was at his ear in an instant, his eyes never having left mine. The line barely made it through its first ring before the connection was answered with Alice's wind chime voice.

"She is fine Edward. Please tell Bella to relax." Edward scowled at his sister's derision.

"Alice," He scolded.

"I don't see the human causing any sort of problems for us. I don't know what she is thinking; obviously that is your forte." Edward rolled his eyes and I held my breath. "But I do not see her talking to anyone if she does have her suspicions."

"Renesmee?" I breathed on my expended pent up air.

"She is fine Bella, well I see a blank space back at the house in a short while."

"Thank you Alice," Edward replied.

"I mean seriously you guys, what did you think was going to happen? She got a lift home with a friend, it's hardly a disaster."

"Good bye, Alice." Edward snapped his cell shut and replaced it in his pocket before bringing his hand back up to smooth other the side of my face. His expression was reading and noncommittal, unsure as to whether my worries had been appeased.

I managed a small smile and I murmured "She's right, isn't she."

Edwards eyes lightened at my admission and he nodded. I sighed deeply, feeling my lungs expand and then release the air, along with a fraction of my panic. "Thank you, Edward."

His lips crushed down on mine and both my mind and body instantly responded. My mind shut off from all the worry and my body moved in to increase the contact with his. Stretching up on my tiptoes to wrap my arms around his neck, his arms in turn tightened around my waist and lifted me up further as he straightened. My feet cleared the floor as the world around us disappeared.

I felt one strong hand move from slowly from my waist and find the hem of my shirt and creeping underneath the edge to my bare skin underneath.

"Edward." I moaned softly. Edward chuckled deeply through ragged breathing. He gently reunited my feet with the woodland floor and my arms slide down to his chest with a low moan of protest.

"Come on, let's get home. Renesmee will be there already."

The world solidified back around us at his words. I didn't reply, I just simply turned and ran.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23 – News

The next morning was just as bright as the day before when the sun rose above the horizon. I breathed out a frustrated sigh. Who would have ever imagined that I would end up being frustrated at the fact that I was unable to attend school?

Renesmee was getting herself ready for her second solo day and she emanated the same level of excitement and enthusiasm as she had the day before. I, on the other hand, tried desperately to conceal my increasing level of reservation.

Apparently the drive home the day before had been little more than a non event in the grand scale of events at play in our supernatural world; it still felt like more to me. Renesmee had replayed the trip to us as soon as we had met up with her back at the house and I had been witness to the light hearted 'teenage conversation' that was seemingly nothing more than that of school chat. In fact, no subject other than that of school and classes had been brought up.

Had I just been overreacting about the whole 'Tessa' situation? I felt totally at a loss with myself at this niggling worry that had apparently stated to encroach in to my rational thinking processes. Replaying the car ride home over in my head, I berated myself and vowed internally that I would not let this become anything more than a simple case of parental anxiety. After all, what parent wouldn't have a problem with their seven year old, riding home on their own with someone who could really only be described as a relative stranger? Ok, so Renesmee was hardly your average seven year old, but in every maternal bone in my body, that's what she was to me.

When it was time to leave, I ran along side my all-too-soon grown up daughter, with Edward at her other side, all the way to the schools grounds. Once at the edge of the protecting expanse, Renesmee bid us goodbye and glided out to join the throng of students making their way to the turmoil of another day of learning.

As she crossed the asphalt lot, I saw her pause from an approaching car. A white car.

Panic weld within me, but I beat it back with obstinacy.

The vehicle made its way passed the place where Renesmee now stood and crept into a parking space just three cars down from her. Renesmee followed the vehicles progress and when Tessa disembarked, she skipped over to her side with a wide, welcoming grin plastered across her beautiful features.

"Hey Tessa," Renesmee almost sang by way of her greeting. Tessa looked taken aback for a fraction of a second and then seemed to recover herself. Her returning grin was tentative, as if she were unsure of the friendly tenor of the person now stood in front of her.

"Er, Hey Renesmee." She stammered slightly, but Renesmee was not hindered by the apparent hesitation in her response.

"I wanted to thank you again for the ride yesterday. It was really nice of you and I am sorry if it was out of you way." Tessa blinked once, then again.

"Um, yeah, it was nothing and it wasn't out of my way. I could have taken you to your place instead of just dumping you out on the sidewalk like that."

Renesmee shook her head in protest. "I asked you to drop me there Tessa, I needed to pick up some stuff for my aunt. I told you that."

"I know you did but I felt bad when I got in. I told my Nan and she went mad at me for just ditching you like that. I really should have just waited for you and then given you a ride to your place."

"Tell your Nan not to worry about it. Honestly I was fine. I was home in no time, really." A cheeky edge lined her smile. Renesmee truly had been home in no time, probably even in less time than it would have taken Tessa to merely drive her to the front door.

"Ok, well, hey, are the rest of your family any better." As she spoke, she looked fleetingly around the parking lot, seeking out something that clearly wasn't there.

"Still no better I'm afraid." She looked up briefly at the cloud free sky. "Not sure when it will pass." Renesmee returned her focus back to Tessa and smiled warmly again.

"Well, if they are still not in, maybe I could give you a ride home again tonight? You know, it would make my Nan feel better. You know if I could tell her you were ok and I hadn't done another ditch and run on the one of the new folks in town." Tessa looked down at her hands that were toying idly with the strap on her book bag.

"Tessa," She looked up and a faint blush coloured her cheeks. "A ride would be great. Thanks."

"Well, ok then," Tessa's blush deepened and Renesmee giggled and abruptly threw her hand over her mouth to cover the reaction. Confusion washed across Tessa's face and she looked away slightly awkwardly. Her eyes landed on the tree coverage that Edward and I crouched in. I held my breath and took a tiny step back.

Renesmee recovered herself and quickly called back Tessa's attention. "We should get to class. But I'll see you here at the end of the day right?"

"Um, yeah, sure."

And with that the two of them walked away in relative silence to the buildings main entrance.

Thankfully the morning came and went pretty quickly. The fact that Renesmee had made it through one day already and that she was obviously capable of handling herself, acted as a calming salve to my still fraught mind. So much had happened of late, and my thoughts were still a tangle of confusion. I was lucky that there was so much room in my head for all these things to be contained. The mind of a human would have cracked under the weight of it all.

My wandering abstraction was brought in to check by the sound of the ringing lunch bell. My focus intensified on the doorway that I heard the racing heartbeat nearing, until the beautiful bronze haired girl emerged from the seclusion of the school building. Just like yesterday, she was on her own and also just like yesterday, she made her way over to the picnic table situated just in front of where Edward and I hid.

Just as Renesmee took her seat, Edwards cell buzzed. His reaction was lightning quick and had the cell to his ear and was answering the call as I turned my head to watch him. In my peripheral vision, Renesmee also turned in the direction of the sound but quickly turned back to her book so as not to draw any unnecessary attention our way.

"Alice?" Edward answered the call after glancing fleetingly at the caller ID.

"Don't worry everything is fine." I rolled my eyes at Alice's carefree tone. Given the fact that we had still not heard off either Carlisle or Jacob in the last 24 hours, I was not so sure I would define the whole situation as 'fine'. "Carlisle called Esme this morning," She added, seemingly as if she had heard my unspoken disapproval, and wanted to dispel it quickly. "He is going to stay in La Push for a couple more days, just until Colin is up and about. He said that he is mending well and it won't be long before he is back to his usual wolfish self, but that he would feel better given the circumstance."

I chanced a furtive look at Renesmee who was now seemingly engrossed in a book. At the distance she was from us, I knew she would be able to hear Edwards side, but not the other side of the conversation. Edward and I edged further in to the cover of the neighbouring forest and Edward lowered his voice to a barely perceptible level.

"And Jacob?" My eyes were still on Renesmee but she gave no sign of shock or apprehension from the mention of Jacobs name.

"Edward, you know I don't see the wolves." Alice interjected.

"Have you not heard anything of them?" Edward asked in a whisper. There was a slightly pause before Alice answered. "They picked up a trail last night,"

My head turned and my eyes locked with Edwards. I could see that my anxiety was matched in his expression. _Jacob?_ I thought as I threw off my shield.

"And?" Edward prompted.

"Jacob followed it up personally but nothing came of it, it went cold."

"What do they think it was?" Edward glanced over to the picnic table and at the studious figure of our daughter.

"It was the same as it was before." Alice's tone was flat and almost despondent when she continued.

"Jacob is still concerned that there is a threat." It wasn't a question, just a statement of fact. Jacob would still be worried for the packs safety and for the safety of the people of La Push. We were all worried about that, but both mine and Edwards worry went deeper.

"Yes he is."

"This is ridiculous, we should all be there helping!"

"Sam is confident that they can manage the situation. They are keeping up with patrols and they have the area better covered now."

"But the trail went cold Alice. If there were more of us there, we could fan out patrols further, cover more area and get this problem sorted once and for all."

"Don't you think that Carlisle has already suggested that?" A low rumble began to sound from deep within Edwards chest. I closed the gap between us and pressed myself into his hold. His free hand slide around my waist and the rumble eased but the tension in his jaw remained. He hated the idea of our extended family as it were, was being tormented by an unidentified attacker, as did I.

"We should be doing something." He muttered.

"They are doing all they can. Sam is satisfied that they have the territory covered and before last night, he was about ready to send Jacob home. I think that even Jacob himself was all but on his way back until they picked up this trail, and well, things sort of regressed." Alice's voiced turned reflective. "The guy is a mess, Edward. Seriously, I don't know what good he is doing now anyway, the wolf is torn. His duty and his heart are causing the guy some serious issues."

"Hardly surprising there is it Alice?"

"Speaking of issues, how is Renesmee doing?"

"Renesmee is…" Edwards eyes shifted from mine to look over my shoulder and the look that swept over his face froze my already stilled body. If my heart had been beating it would have been stilled in that instant. I whipped my body round in a fraction of a second and my world tilted off its axis.

The picnic table was empty but for an abandoned book.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24 – Chase

"Edward… Where…" I couldn't finish. I stood frozen staring at the pages of her book turning on their own accord in the gentle breeze.

"Hello. Edward? What just happened?" Alice's voice was filled with nervous uncertainty that made my insides clench further. "Everything just changed. What's going on?"

"She's gone to him." The words left my mouth before their meaning registered in my brain. I blinked and snapped my head back to Edward, whose already pale face seemed to have lost another three shade of colour. "She's gone to Jacob."

His eyes tore themselves away from the empty picnic table and seared their intensity on mine.

Alice's voice came over the silence again. "Renesmee's gone?" The line went still again for a moment before she said "I think Bella's right." I knew I was right even without Alice's confirmation. And I didn't hesitate then.

I ran.

Edward was fast on my heals, relaying our intent back to Alice. She would have seen it anyway but now Edward was expanding on my somewhat short sighted plan.

Renesmee would be on foot, at least until she could get herself a faster mode of transportation. She would be going home, to the lavish offerings of flashy and finely tuned sports cars that decorated one of the sections of the oversized garage back at the house. And so that was where I was hoping to catch up with her. Surely she only had little over 10 minute's head start, and Esme would be home wouldn't she? She could stop her.

The woodlands surround me were all but a blur of colour in my vision. My senses were reeling out in every direction, picking up on the distinct scent that Renesmee had left in her wake. It mingled with our trails that we left this morning on the way to school, but the one I was honing in on now was tinged with a desperation and panic that I was sure my own scent was laced with now.

Renesmee was terrified.

"Bella," Edward called from behind me. I didn't slow. "Bella!" He called again but his tone this time made my step falter. I glanced over my shoulder to see him slow to a stop and the phone fall from his fingers.

I spun mid stride and skidded backwards with the momentum at which I had been moving. Within a second I was back at Edwards side staring up at his grief stricken face. A lump clogged my throat.

"Alice sees her." He whispered before he took off running at a flying pace. I followed after, replaying what had just happened. His tone was all wrong but then I actually heard what he had said.

"Alice sees her? But how? What? I…" I stammered when I managed to draw myself along side.

"Alice sees her… hurt."

Before he said more, trees started to thin as the clearing came in to view. Edward ran up the steps and flew into the house. I didn't follow; instead I raced around the side to the garage and stopped dead. The large electric door was open and there was a large gap in the fleet of vehicle sprawled out in front of me; about the size of an Aston Martin.

A breeze blew passed me and into the garage. I followed it and watched as Edward suddenly appeared in the driver's seat of my Ferrari. I was in the passenger seat in the next instance and the car was pulling out and picking up speed in no time at all.

"Where's happening Edward?" I asked after we made it onto the main route through and out of town.

"I don't know." He said with such helplessness in his voice.

"But Alice saw her. How is that even possible?"

"She was hurt Bella" His voice shook on my name and his grip tightened on the steering wheel.

"Hurt how? By who?" Although that much was obvious.

Whoever it was that had hurt Colin, and threatened the safety of La Push was going to hurt our baby. But how could this happen?

"We need to call Jake, tell him to get to her before anything happens to her." I picked up the cell that was stowed in the car in case of emergency. Funny, when Edward had insisted on such a precaution, I never in my wildest imaginings would have ever envisaged having to use it for something like this.

I dialled Jacobs number and waited for the connection to sound.

"We should call Esme too. She wasn't at the house." I nodded as the cell began to ring. Once, twice, three times.

"Hello," Jacobs husky voice was calm, albeit obviously cautious at the unidentified number registering on his caller ID.

"Jake, it's Bella."

"Bella? What number are you on? What's going on?" His pitch crept up as uncertainty took hold. I took a deep breath and explained as best I could what had turned this Tuesday afternoon in to the stuff nightmares are made of.

When I had finished, there was silence. Not even the sound of air moving through Jacobs lungs could be detected.

"Jacob, you have to find her. We are on our way but…" I trailed off, unable to finish my sentence. This seemed to snap Jacob out of what ever state of morbid shock he had drifted off to.

"Where?" He asked abruptly. I looked over at Edward for confirmation.

"Alice thinks that it is about six miles off the south east of the La Push boundary."

"I'm on my way." I heard movement then and before the line cut off the distinct sound of a slamming door and the tearing of material. Jacob had phased.

I cut the connection and immediately dialled Esme's number. She had apparently been out hunting and after a brief explanation; she was headed back to the house and would be following after us.

The rest of the drive was painful. Driving in the middle of the day though midweek traffic when not even Edward usual driving speeds would not have been fast enough was almost too much.

The dark tint on all the windows also drew attention, so Edward had to take extra care when going through any built up areas. Although his mind reading ability meant that we were able to avoid any attention from the police, it still felt like an age before we eventually neared the road that would take us where we needed to be.

Edward didn't slow as we drove past the rows of shops and houses that lined the streets of La Push. Only when the road thinned and started to wind as if following some meandering stream, did our speed decrease.

With the light of the days sunny sky quickly diminishing, I kept my eyes fixed on the road ahead, looking for… well, I didn't know what exactly. I was just looking for something, anything that might lead us to Renesmee. And when we rounded the next corner we saw it.

Parked on the side of the road, in the shadow of a group of ancient cedars, was an Aston Martin.

I had my car door open before Edward had even pulled over. Bursting free of my seat, I took off into the depths of the forest, breathing in deep to catch Renesmee's scent. It was there and it was strong. Maybe, I thought. Just maybe.

I ran faster than I had ever run before, even faster than I had done when I was first born. My muscles bunched and released in a way that I never even imagined possible. My feet hardly touched the rough terrain of the forest floor as I navigated my way through the dense trees.

The scenery around me was a blur. I was only vaguely aware of a similar flying figure beside me. Edward was running with as much urgency as I was, although he was much stronger now and still so much faster. I let him pass me. At least one of us would be there all the sooner and maybe we would be in time.

The urgency got stronger as her scent got stronger. But then other scents started to join it. They were layered over the top of hers. Unfamiliar, but familiar all the same. They were following her.


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25 – Battle

I heard it then.

It chilled me to the very bone, with the sound bringing back murky memories from another time. Another life.

Up ahead, not far from where we were, a battle of survival was taking place.

The growls and the hissing grew nearer and as I followed Edward through a parting of the evergreens, my eyes widened at the sight that was unfolding in front of us. Wolves and vampires alike were engaged in battle on all sides.

I stopped abruptly on the edge of the action and hastily scanned the faces of those in the midst of it. Carlisle, Sam and Jacob were in the thick of it, right in the heart of the action. Five unfamiliar vampires surrounded them before all hell seemed to break loose. The great russet coloured wolf of Jacob lunged at one, just as it was about to move. Grabbing the male by the throat, and shaking his head savagely back and forth, a grinding metallic sound ricocheted across the clearing, before lifeless form was dropped from the wolfs jaws just feet away from its dismembered head. Jacob was on to the next one in a moment.

The others around them blurred into motion and soon all three were locked in battle.

Jasper was at the far side of the clearing having joined the action from another direction. He was flanked by Alice, Emmett and Rosalie. Emmett grabbed one attacker around the neck in a choke hold before relieving the figure quickly of its arms and legs and then launching its head across the clearing.

Wolves interspersed the whole group and took on the remaining visitors.

But I had yet to see Renesmee. Her scent was strongest here but I couldn't see her amongst the fighting. At that moment I wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing, but at least she was not in amongst the fighting.

"Do you see her?" I asked Edward as a dark haired monster flew towards us. Edward reacted in the same fraction of a second; sliding himself between me and the red eyed demon before shifting to the right and knocking the creature off balance. Once fallen, Edward pounced on the top of it and twisted its neck with more metallic finality. Then he straightened and was back at my side scanning the fray once more. I watched him in awe as he cast his eyes over the scene in front of us once more before he said "No, I don't see her."

My momentary relief at not seeing her in the crowd was short lived. What if we were too late? What if she was somewhere else? Hurt?

"Edward?" I pleaded desperately, not actually sure what I was hoping him to do but just in need of something.

His eyes were still scanning the crowd and I knew the exact moment that he found what we were looking for. Every cell in his body tensed, coiled and then just as he was about to move, his body was flung five feet into the air. I watched in shock as he twisted in mid air and landed in a deep crouch facing the attacker. He was on top of him in the next instant.

Gathering my senses, I diverted my eyes from the tangle of limbs in which Edward thankfully appeared to have the upper hand in and searched the direction Edward had been looking prior to his physical altercation.

The air in my lungs was expelled in a sickening rush and my body tremble at the sight before me. Renesmee had appeared, almost in the middle of the clearing where Jacob, Sam and Carlisle were still engaged in the thick of it. And she was fighting. Her opponent was a good foot taller than her but she was holding her own. Years of watching Jasper and Emmett going at each other had apparently rubbed off on her and I couldn't help the fluffy of pride that swept through me before being displaced by stone cold fear.

She was _fighting_. Her movements and stance was graceful and so utterly hypnotic and as a result I very nearly missed the approaching figure from my right.

I ducked just as a fist the size of a child's head was wielded at me. In my crouched position I spun my right leg out to clip the six foot two attacker on the backs of his ankles and knock him off balance. He stumbled but did not fall. I planted my right foot in front and then sprung off it in the same motion to clasp my hands around the black haired vampire's throat. They didn't make it to their destination, instead, they got deflected and a knee connected with my abdomen with the blunt force of a tank.

Stunned, I fell to the ground with the force of the assault and then thick fingers wound around my throat and pulled me to my feet. I linked my hands around his wrists and yanked on them violently. They didn't even shift an inch. Air was cut off from my lungs and his fingers flexed. His brilliant red eyes bored deep into mine with vicious intent. His lips peeled back off his teeth and an otherworldly growl ensued from between them.

I had failed. I hadn't been able to help Renesmee and now I would deprive her of a Mother if she even survived this atrocity herself. My eyes stung but I refused to close my eyes to the attack that was almost certainly going to end my far-to-short immortality.

I set my jaw and clenched my hands tighter around the wrists of the hands at my throat. The corner of the cruel face turned up into a wicked looking sneer as he read my resolve in my eyes. Just as he pulled his head back, preparing to end it, pale hands came up on either side, clenching tightly and jerked him off balance. His grip on my neck loosened and I tore myself out of his grasp. With several feet now separating us, I watched as Edward took on my attacker.

I spun back to the others and Renesmee had moved again. She was closer still to the centre of the fighting and my dead heart lurched or at least felt like it should have, when I saw her fall.

"RENESMEE!" I screamed as she was kicked violently in the back and flung forward nearly ten feet by the force of it.

Several pairs of eyes flew in my direction but I was already moving. I dodged punches, kicks and flying limbs, unaware of to whom they belonged, only focused on the tiny figure now crawling back up to her feet.

She didn't see the body turning to finish its assault as she pushed herself up of the floor; Just as I failed to see the fist flying at my face on the follow through of a punch that had sent one of the younger wolves flying. The force had me stumbling to regain my balance.

A piercing scream had the whole scene in front of me playing in slow motion, whilst I was stood in what felt like concrete blocks, completely unable to move. The vampire that had kicked Renesmee, was crouched down low behind her and had one hand wrapped deep in the roots of her hair and her head was being pulled back at a disjointed angle that exposed the creamy flesh of her throat. A trail of brilliant red blood trailed down from a ragged gaping wound which tarnished the otherwise perfect column of flesh.

Renesmee's features paled and her eyes rolled back as the other vampire reared back his head and let out a blood curdling roar of triumph and ecstasy. When he brought his head back down, blood dripped menacingly from his bared teeth and down his chin. His eyes zeroed in on the wound on Renesmee's neck as her body fell limp.

"Noooooooo," I screamed at the same time as my feet unfroze.

The demon didn't get near to the spoils he so clearly wanted, as Jacob went flying out of his current battle and straight onto him with momentous force. I didn't stop to watch Jacob tear the creature limb from limb; instead I raced to my daughter's side, not seeing anything else but her.

She slumped on the ground again, having been knocked over onto her front when her attacker had been so effectively removed. I skidded to a stop on the floor beside her; reaching tentatively to gather her up in my arms. Fighting continued all around but it could have been raining gold and I wouldn't have noticed. My focus was wholly on the fragile little girl in front of me.

I slowly turned her over and brushed her matted curls out of her face. Her eyes were closed but a faint glow still coloured her cheeks.

"Renesmee? Renesmee, baby, I'm here." I shook her gently. "Please open your eyes... _Please_." I begged. I could hear her heartbeat still flying in her chest but I also heard it stutter. "Renesmee, _please_!"

Suddenly her eyes flew open, she gasped and then a sickening pain filled cry tore itself from her lips.

The venom.

She had been bitten by a vampire and she was half human. I had no idea how it would affect her but the pain was clearly setting in and my panic was reaching a crescendo.

My head snapped up and suddenly our surroundings were brought back into hideous relief. The battles were lessening in number, but they were still violent in their content. The only saving grace was that the numbers seemed to be more in our favour now. Two of ours to one of theirs. I scanned the fighters for the one I needed.

"Carlisle!" I cried. "Carlisle, please."

He was not far away, but he was still locked in action with another vampire. His head jerked in our direction and acknowledgment flared in his eyes. He rounded back on his opponent and ended the struggle cleanly. The next moment he was at my side gingerly tilting Renesmee's screaming and pain ridden face to better see her injury.

"Please Carlisle, help her. Do something." I implored with desperation heavy in my wavering voice.

"We need to get the venom out. We don't know what… we don't know how… Bella, you need to…" His words drifted off as more hazy memories of a ballet studio and a raging pain in my wrist played in my mind.

I knew what to do. I pulled Renesmee closer to my body and held her tight. Her head fell back and the sweet scent of her blood hit me… hard. I stopped breathing and with a brief glance at her contorting face, I dipped my head to the gapping hole on her neck. Locking my puckered lips on to the ragged wound I took long pulls from her vein and began to draw the poison out.

Though not breathing removed the scent in one sense, it didn't diminish the taste. Renesmee was exquisite in every interpretation of the word. Her blood was the sweetest thing I was sure that I would ever taste, but it was marred by something putrid and bitter.

After several more deep gulps the taint of the poison seemed to dissipate and on the next draw, all I tasted was clean, fresh and oh-so-sweet blood. I forced my jaw open and relaxed my grip on her slightly so she fell lower in my arms. As soon as I did, Carlisle reached around me and thrust a wadded mass of fabric up against Renesmee's still open and raw wound.

Edward was at my other side then; his arms wrapping both me and Renesmee in his protective hold. He said nothing and neither did I as we watched her cries subside and her face relax into unconsciousness.

Then Jacob was on his knees in front of us, tears streaming down through the blood and dirt smeared on his face and onto his bare chest. "Nessie?" He moaned. "Ness, Nessie, please God no." His hands fumbled over her arms and her face like he was unsure of how not to cause her pain but desperate for contact to confirm that she was really there.

"We need to get her home." Carlisle tone had that doctor's note of authority back in it, as more of our family gathered around us. The battle was over. We had all survived it. Well…

Jacob leaned over her a kissed Renesmee's forehead tenderly. "We need to go Jacob." Carlisle said again. "Edward, take Nessie. We will go to the Blacks house."

Jacob sniffed but straightened up where he knelt. Edward's strong arms took Renesmee from me and I stood on shaky legs.

And we were all in motion once more.


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26 - Awake

For a vampire, time was merely a concept. But whilst waiting in Billy Blacks small home with what felt like, and probably was the whole of my vampire and wolf family, it seemed that time was lashing out and stubbornly refusing to progress.

Having a 'Father-In-Law' with a medical background spanning centuries and a husband with several medical degrees to his name was a huge comfort however.

As soon as we had made it back to the Blacks house, Edward and Carlisle had hurried into Jacobs room with Renesmee hanging limp in Edwards arms. The door had been closed and time had begun its rebellion against me.

I heard Edwards whispered responses to Carlisle's unspoken words. The one sided conversation was the only accompaniment to the sound of Renesmee's laboured breathing and slowed heart beat.

Marginal relief came around the time that I detected the subtle change in her breathing pattern. It steadied its self and somewhat and her fluttering heart began a slightly more rhythmic pace, although I was still feeling sick to my core when I finally walked in hours later and saw my precious daughter lying Jacobs small bed looking as pale as any one of us.

She was sleeping which I was sure was for the best. She wasn't like us. And it was all the more apparent as I stood staring down at her. My eyes prickled fiercely and I swallowed reflexively.

Her usual cream and roses complexion was washed out and if I wasn't able to hear her heart beat with my own ears, I would have assumed she was beyond us. I shuddered at the thought and reassured myself with watching the slow rise and fall of her chest. Her bronze ringlets spilled out in a halo around her head on the pillow. When my eyes drifted down from her face, they focused on the large swatch of gauze strapped tight to her neck, a small speck of red seeping through.

Edwards hand found mine as I curled my body into his for comfort. His muscles were taught and exuded the tension I felt. His eyes shone with a contortion of worry, concern, love and bitter, bitter anger. The mirror of my feelings.

The only comfort to be taken, if indeed there was any, was that the hideous being that did this had had its existence ended. I wasn't one to condone such a thing but in this case, I would have gladly dismembered the creature myself…and then put it back together, just so I could do it again.

It was well into the next day before I felt Edward relax a degree and I looked from Renesmee to him not sure what I had missed. He smiled down at me and my confused expression. He gently stoked the crease that had formed between my brows and kissed the same spot tenderly.

"She is going to fine," He whispered.

"But she's still… She hasn't… What if…" I was unable to articulate the mass of questions that were forming in my mind.

"I can hear her again." He said simply. It took me a minute, even with my vampire mind, to process his words. And when it clicked, I spun and stretched to reach for her delicate pink hand. I lifted it slowly and placed it tentatively to my cheek.

A few minutes passed by with nothing, but then, flickers began to play across the insides of my closed lids. The smile that enveloped me was my only outlet for the joy I felt in that moment and I breathed a sigh of relief as the realisation that Renesmee would be ok hit home.

The flashes of colour started to take form after several hours of watching and I gasped as the scene started to play out. She was reliving it all; Jacob in the forefront of her thoughts and the battle ensuing around them. Flashes of green trees, brown earth and red stains, then white teeth bearing down. Simultaneous growls emanated from both Edward and I but I bit mine back as Jacobs head snapped to face me. I shook my head as he reached for other hand.

"Don't Jake, she wouldn't want you too." I whispered. He hesitated for several seconds before he lowered himself back next to me. I smiled tentatively at him before closing my eyes once more to watch with my daughter.

Our nightmare played on a cycle over the course of the night, dimming at times, but then coming back with violent clarity. The bright red eyes of the monster that attacked her were a repeating feature of her internal play taking place.

Hugh round chocolate brown eyes snapped open the next day after a particularly clear image of the red eyes flashed across my vision. Her gaze remained fixed and unblinking on the ceiling above her as she steadied her breathing. All those around her, which was pretty much everyone at this point, let out a collective breath and the buzzing tension lifted another notch. Slowly she shifted her head and her still scared eyes locked on mine. I sat perched on the edge of the bed and I held her hand gently between my own having lowered it from my face.

A slow smile spread across her face as her eyes wandered from mine, to Edwards who was stood behind me with his hands resting tenderly on my shoulders. The full effect of Renesmee's smile was not realised until her eyes landed on Jacob who was sat beside me on the bed. I felt the heat radiating off every angle of Jacobs form sat beside me and I cringed away ever so slightly, focusing back on my daughters face.

"Hi," She breathed.

"Hi yourself!" Alice chided from her position in the doorway of the small room. My attention was diverted to her in rage at her tone. "Oh don't give me that look Bella! She scared the Hell out of us!" I turned back to Renesmee who was looking somewhat chagrined at her chastisement.

"Not now Alice." I scowled, not looking at her again.

"What were you thinking Ness?" She continued.

"Alice! I said _not _now!" My tone was impatient and I felt Edwards hands tighten infinitesimally on my shoulders. I took a deep breath.

"I think we should let Renesmee get her rest now," Carlisle spoke up from somewhere in the crowded space. "We _all_ should get some rest for that matter." He said pointedly looking at Jacob.

Jacob had not moved from Renesmee's side since she had been brought here and I wasn't sure that he had slept in that whole time. His eyes had closed but those times had been brief and restless. I am sure that had I been human, I would have been the same, but as I wasn't, I was insanely grateful for the fact that I had been able to stay unmoving from my daughter's side.

Renesmee regarded Jacobs tired eyes with deliberation and a pained expression etched itself on the delicate plains of her face.

"You should sleep," She said with less volume than that of a whisper. Jacob took her hand and pressed her palm to his lips with such reverence I felt that I should look away.

"I've missed you," He choked out, tears overflowing the borders of his tired eyes. She smiled back at him and swept her thump across his cheek to catch the tears, and then her finger across his other to do the same there.

"I'm here now, please sleep," She said again, as she lowered her hand and closed her eyes once more. Jacob stared at her fragile form and let another tear fall from its containment. I reached out my arm and curled it round his wide shoulders pulling him to me. I rested my cheek on his shoulder and after a while, I felt his cheek come to rest on the top of my head. We both sat in relative peace as the room around us slowly emptied of all but us and Edward.

After a long moment, Jacob took a deep shaky breath, kissed the top of my head and leaned his body forward so that his arms rested on the bed, with one hand over the top of Renesmee's where it had fallen. He took in another deep breath, slightly steadier than the last and then lowered his head on to the makeshift pillow of his arms. His face was turned so that his focus was still on Renesmee's face. After another minute, his eyes drifted closed, a single tear spilled free but a small smile played at the edges of his mouth.


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27 – Home

Two days later and I watched the green landscape of La Push blur past the windows as we raced along the highway back home. Renesmee lay curled up in the back with her head resting on Jacobs lap. I watched him in the side mirror as he sat contently stroking the once more vibrated glossy bronze curls on her head.

The trees soon gave way to the clearing surrounding our home and we all disembarked at a subdued pace. Renesmee remained asleep and undisturbed by the shutting down of the vehicles throaty engine, so Jacob scooped her up into his arms and headed off into the house to lay her on the large sofa in the family room.

Emmett and Rosalie had remained behind, to ensure that we were not going to be taken off guard by a second attack, but so far, not even a mouse had disturbed the calm that seemed to have fallen over La Push. Which was good as nothing short of force of nature would have separated Jacob from Renesmee's side again, and even then I think Mother Nature would have had a tough time.

Nothing further had been said on the events of last week, and now that I knew that all of my family was safe, questions had began to percolate in my mind. Alice had refrained from saying anything further to Renesmee for fear of upsetting her. Edward and I had both witnessed that the nightmares were still just as vivid for her, even after days had passed and this had been relayed to the rest of our family. No one wanted to say or do anything to cause Renesmee any more anguish then she was already experiencing in the depths of her subconscious.

But we were home now and I need to know why. Even though deep down I knew the answer. She was so much like me, stubborn to the end and not perturbed my physical abilities or any such limitations.

I sat on the love seat next to Edward, which was opposite the sofa that Renesmee's sleeping form curled up on. Jacob sat on the floor by her head, once again stroking her hair. He was being careful not to pick up her hand, for fear of seeing the images that I had been witness to for these past few days and nights. I had told him, in not so many words that it would not be a good idea for him to relive the experience. He had obviously agreed as whenever his hand inadvertently brushed up against her skin, he would cringe and shudder away.

I couldn't help in those moments, admiring Jacobs maturity and self control. Although I think that it had more to do with the fact that his reluctance to leave Renesmee's side was so much stronger than the need to go and do some damage to something to vent his anger which I knew would be at boiling point. They had been through so much together, despite their brief separation and they had made it though it all and come out at the other end, stronger. Much like Edward and myself.

I leaned into his strong arms and buried my face into his chest, breathing in his heavenly scent that was all Edward. I couldn't help the smile that consumed me as the smell of Edward, the feel of him in my arms, and the sound of my daughters, once more fluttering heart, assaulted my senses.

A shifting of denim on leather told me that Renesmee was stirring from her sleep and I reluctantly torn myself form the comfort of Edwards chest to look over at her where. She stretched out each arm and then each leg before pushing herself up in to a sitting position and beckoning for Jacob to take the space now vacated by her reclined form.

"How are you feeling?" Jacob asked with an anxious tension to his tone. He was not convinced that she should have been moved so soon after her attack but both Edward and Carlisle had asserted that she was well on the way to a full recovery and that the rest she needed would be better served in a more affording space. I trusted both of their judgements implicitly and I was getting frustrated with the proximity of so many worried bodies so I had taken the executive decision to come back home for the sake of Renesmee's recovery and all of our sanities. Vampires and Wolves in the same small space for a prolonged stretch of time, even when they were as close as we all were was definitely asking for trouble.

Renesmee smiled gently up at him and then leaned into his arms. "I'm glad to be home." She breathed in a sigh. I couldn't have agreed with her more. This house that now felt like a home in a new town. I was glad of the distance from La Push where so many frightful memories now based themselves. I loved La Push, and always would. But it would be a while now before I returned to the place where Edward and I had almost lost our daughter.

"So are you going to tell us just what the hell you were thinking when you ran off like that?" Alice had been biting her tongue since I had yelled at her back in Billy's house and now clearly she was through with polite chit chat.

Renesmee looked over at her with a mix of bewilderment and chagrin on her face. Jacob just looked plain ready to strike. Renesmee held his hand by way of a restraint and I could see his resignation capitulate at her touch. When she seemed happy that Jacob wasn't going to cross the room to decapitate her Aunt, she lifted her chin and met Alice's glaring amber eyes.

"I'm sorry Alice. I'm sorry to everyone. I didn't mean for you to all follow me,"

"What did you expect to happen when you just up and left like that Ness?" Alice threw her arms up into the air in exasperation and I stood up from my seat to cross over the room to Renesmee's side. I saw Jacobs free hand clenching into a fist so tight, that the tanned skin on his knuckles paled to white.

Edward shadowed my movement, so that he remained by my side the whole time. I think that as he was picking up on all the thoughts of everyone in the room, which was pretty much, well, everyone, that my almost newborn temperament would be being tested by Alice's tactless trial of questioning.

He had a point, I wasn't happy with how she was going about this but in truth I wanted answers and as much as I thought that perhaps I should have been the one to ask I was secretly glad that I was not the one that was bringing it up. I would have preferred a slightly less blunt line of questioning but I let it go though as Alice had a point. I had not wanted to ask her about it until I was sure that she had recovered and was back to full strength. I would have given her another day or two before asking her 'what the hell she was thinking' but in maybe a more gently way.

Renesmee looked at the floor for a moment and then when she raised her head, her eyes were swimming with tears. I knelt down on the floor in front of her and pulled her into my arms for a fierce embrace as Edward and Jacob glared daggers at Alice. I heard Jasper take a step closer to her and his weight shifted protectively as I smoothed my hands over Renesmee's hair and whispered reassuring words in her ear.

"I'm so sorry Mom," She sobbed into my shoulder.

"Sssshhh," I cooed softly to her. "You're here now. You're safe. That is all that matters now." I reassured her. As much as I wanted to know the whys of it all, the answers could wait.

"I didn't mean to leave you like that, but I heard Dad on the phone to Alice." She lifted her head and looked up at Edward. "You sounded angry and then you said that Jacob was worried and that we should all be helping," She trailed off when she saw the helpless expression on Edwards face.

"I should have moved away so you never would have heard." He said as he sank down onto his knees next to me on the floor.

"No!" She said as annoyance flared across her still slightly pale features. "No, you should have talked to me. You should have told me what was going on."

"Renesmee," I responded, trying very hard not to sound scolding at her tone. I knew that she was right, but I knew that she would also have wanted to go there, with or without us at her side. "You know why we didn't say anything," She opened her mouth to argue but I cut her off. "You would have wanted to go to him no matter what we did or didn't tell you."

"You shouldn't have come, Ness," Jacob spoke up with pain thick in his words. She turned to him then, tears still threatening to spill.

"I had to Jake. I couldn't not go to you." She said simply before she turned to face me once more.

"You would have done the same Mom, if you had heard that about Dad." I opened my mouth to deny it but I couldn't lie to her like that. We were two of a kind and I would have done the same in a second, with no second thought spared for the consequences. As soon as Renesmee saw my resignation, she breathed easier and whispered. "I'm sorry Mom," I merely nodded, unable to vocalise any sort of condoning of her actions. "I admit that I didn't think it through,"

"Pah! Understatement there Ness, Major understatement."

Renesmee looked over at Alice and scowled, quite impressively before she continued. "But all I was thinking about was helping Jake with whatever was going on. I had no idea that it would turn the way it did."

"You weren't to know all Hell was about to break loose." I placated. "None of us were. But you should have told us."

"Would you have let me go?" She challenged. Once more my mouth opened but I couldn't find words.

"You should have come to us Renesmee," Edward interceded, coming to my rescue. "We may not have wanted you to go, but we would have discussed it and in all likelihood, we probably would have agreed. As you heard, I wasn't exactly happy that we were not there to help them track down their… issue."

"Who were they?" She whispered on a shuddering breath.

No one spoke but after a brief moment of silence, Edwards head went to Jasper.

"I think you could be right." He agreed with whatever thoughts had been playing through his mind.

"Edward?" I questioned.

"Jazz, what do you know? I didn't see anything." Alice voiced with clear frustration. Jasper stayed focused on Edward, obviously engaged in an unspoken discussion.

"Will someone talk already?" Jacobs voice was raised and echoing the irritation that I was feeling. This broke the eye contact between the two and both turned to look at the rest of us, each in turn.

"A large body of Vampires, organised, and attacking the wolves for no other reason than to destroy. No provocation, no previous confrontation, apart from the attack on Colin." Renesmee gasped and turned instantly to Jacob for confirmation of Edwards words. Jacob nodded but as the tears spilled from Renesmee's eyes, he spoke up to reassure her that he was ok and had all but recovered to full strength thanks to Carlisle's care.

During this time, I studied Edwards face, trying to decipher where his words were leading.

Victoria had created an army of Vampires to try and get to me all those years ago, when I was human. But they had been unorganised and hadn't got very far, with the exception of Victoria herself. I didn't know of any other Vampires who would seek to organise such an army. Apart from the Volturi of course, but surely they… surely not? Would they?

I dropped my shield and whispered my deliberations in my thoughts hoping, praying for a denial from Edward, but the grave look that clouded his darkening amber eyes was confirmation enough.

"Caius?" I didn't realise that I had spoken the word out loud until I saw every head turn to face me.

"The Volturi?" Alice whispered. "But I didn't see…" She trailed off with evident confusion, searching her mind for any sign that I was right and she might have missed.

"You weren't looking for them Alice," Esme spoke up from the entrance way to the sitting room, having just entered with Carlisle but clearly having heard what was going on.

"I should have seen," She said hopelessly.

"The Volturi? But why?" Although we had filled in some of the detail of the confrontation with the closest thing Vampires had to a royal family all those years ago, not everything was relayed.

"He fears my kind Ness," Jacob answered.

"Not your kind Jake," I reasoned.

"It makes no difference to them Bella, shape shifters, werewolves, children of the moon, we are all the same to him. Caius sees no distinction."

"But you wouldn't hurt them, you didn't attack back then and you did nothing to deserve what happened last week.

"Caius fears the children of the moon," Edward said with calm resentment. "He has hunted them to near extinction and obviously he believes that Jacob and his pack members are just the same. His bias is indifferent."

"So do you think he will attack again?" Renesmee directed this question at Alice.

Alice closed her eyes and fell into statuesque stillness. For several long moments there was only the sound of two heart beats. All eyes were on Alice as she scanned her vision for any sign of danger facing her somewhat extended family – despite the fact that most were invisible to her.

"No, I see no imminent action coming our way." She opened her eyes then and spoke directly to Jacob. "That is not to say that this is over. Caius is not one to let sleeping dogs lie, pardon the pun." Jacob rolled his eyes. "But I do not see him taking any action in the immediate future."

"He has taken his stance now, and we now know where he stands." Carlisle spoke up with his authoritative tone. It was calm but I could see that Edward, Alice, Jasper, Esme and I had all picked up on the underlying hurt. Aro, Caius and Marcus had been his friends for many years and Caius' back handed betrayal had hit hard, just as it had when they had engaged in their man hunt for his family's demise just six years earlier.

Edward looked over to his father with sorrow and resignation in his eyes. He nodded his head slightly and then looked to Alice.

"We need you to keep your eye on him. We need to anticipate any further problems."

Alice nodded but did not speak. Edward continued this time facing Jacob. "We will be there for your pack and for Sam's, and for the people of La Push. You should update Sam on things and we will let Rosalie and Emmett know that they can come home. There's no need for extra defences for the moment."

"I'm not leaving Ness again." Jacob argued. "I wont leave her."

"No need man," My head spun round to the new arrival in the room. My sences and attention had been so focused on what was going on inside with me, I had failed to notice the third heart beat becoming louder and the scent of wolf intensifying. Seth strolled in passed Esme and gave Jacob a guilt grin.

"What the… Seth?" Jacob stammered. "What are you doing here?"

"Came to stick by my chief. Figured that you would be sticking by a certain lady friend of yours pretty close and would be incommunicado for a while, so here I am, your personal, portable mobile like to wolf kind." He stretched out his arms by his side to accentuate his gesture and grinned unrepentantly. Jacob scowled for a moment and then Renesmee was suddenly scurrying out of Jacobs arms, which deepened his frown ten fold, and pushing passed me to race into Seth's still outstretched arms. He was taken aback for a moment before his grin returned, this time even more confident in his actions.

Jacob stood up and passed me as I also stood up, and walked over to join Renesmee and Seth. I moved to stand next to Edward as I watched Seth's triumphant grin falter in the wake of his pack leader. Jacobs frown was stern as he looked down at the young figure, but then it broke in to a grateful smile as he pulled both Renesmee and Seth into his arms. He thumped Seth on the back a couple of times and I had to smile when I saw the possessive hold he had on Renesmee's waist as he pulled away from the trios embrace. Renesmee came willingly and looked up at Jacob with happiness in her eyes once more.

"Guess I should take that as my cue to report in with the rest of them."

"Thanks Seth, I… We… Thanks man." Seth chuckled at Jacobs inarticulate mumblings and then turned and headed out to phase.

The danger was not gone, but it was behind us for now. There was no doubt that we would come up against such betrayals again, but we would be waiting and we would be prepared. And the next time, as much as I may not like the idea, we would be facing the danger together. All of us.


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28 – Unforeseeable

The weeks passed and peace had fallen over our not so little household once more. Rosalie and Emmett had come home along with Seth who was staying close by to act as our link to La Push as Jacob was refusing to leave Renesmee's side.

Renesmee was almost fully recovered now and the gauze covering her neck had been long since removed to reveal a stark white memento of her ordeal. Jacob had hissed an oath on discovering her permanent reminder, but I had expected little else so had been able to refrain from expressing the string of profanities that never the less threatened to spill out. That sort of injury left a mark, no matter whom or what you were. The covering of Jaspers skin laid testament to that alone, and the iridescent crescent shape scar on my forearm was my own little reminder.

The sun was slowly beginning its descent to the horizon and I watched its progress through the large expanse glass at the back of the house. Renesmee was hot into the middle of a long rant that I was humouring as I once again found myself involved in the same discussion that I was now experiencing for the fourth time in as many days.

"I _need_ to Mom, I have to go back!" Her tact had switched to pleading now.

"No Renesmee," I said for what felt like the hundredth time.

"But Mom!" I had to stifle back the giggles that threatened to break through my exasperation as I turned to face her. I arched an eyebrow at her now whiny tone. She looked sheepishly around the room to avoid my gaze before her tenacity broke free again.

"I want to go back Mom,"

"I said 'no' Renesmee," I stated, feeling the irritation edging in my voice.

"It's not fair!" She exclaimed as she stomped her foot against the floor. I couldn't help it then, and I spun around to hide my laughter at her adolescent reaction to where this conversation had once again ended up.

"Did you seriously just stamp your foot Ness?" Jacob said from the safety of his seat in the corner of the room. I knew that I had Jacob's full backing on my stance in this particular conversation but since he didn't want to go against Renesmee on anything, he was staying out of the way and keeping uncharacteristically quiet.

Renesmee turned to look at him then and I saw his reflection in the glass wall cringe away from her obvious scowl. My attention was diverted when I saw Edwards tall figure enter in the room and cross the room to stand behind me. My eyes locked with his reflection and his strong arms wrapped around my waist.

"Are you coming?" He whispered in my ear in a low sultry voice. I shivered in reaction.

"Mom, we need to talk about this." Renesmee interjected.

"There is nothing further to discuss Renesmee, you are not going back."

"Bella," Edward said as I turned to walk outside. I looked back over my shoulder. "We can't just not go back." He stated. I stared at him in confusion and Renesmee looked over at him with renewed hope. "We can talk about this again later," He finished when he sensed my shock and annoyance.

"But…"

"Later, Renesmee!" She backed down at Edwards assertive tone. "Bella," He turned back to me and pulled me back up against his chest. "Let's go," He said as he bent his head and gently kissed my forehead. The feel of his lips against my skin eased my irritation and I felt the frown melt off my face and be replaced with a placated smile. I was such a push over when it came to this man; I had to fight the urge to roll my eyes at myself for my easy capitulation. Instead, I let him take my hand and lead me out in to the afternoon sun.

Just as we crossed the clearing and entered in to the protective shade of the encircling evergreens, movement from somewhere in the distance caught my attention. We stopped where we were and I let me senses roam as I looked over to Edward. His smile reassured me and the scents that lingered in the air made me release my pent up breath. Ever since our encounter in La Push, despite the quite that had fallen since, we were all still on a higher alert than we usually adopted.

"Seth is out doing a perimeter check and catching up with the rest of the pack in La Push." Edward reassured me. I smiled and we continued on our way into the forest.

We ran for about five minutes before we came across a heard of deer. I crouched just as Edward did and then we moved as one to obtain our prey. Edward landed the largest and I the second. We were finished with our spoils within just a matter of minutes and quickly moved on to track our next.

After we had obtained our fill, we made our way back home at a subdued pace. We shared a few minutes of comfortable silence before Edward spoke. "You know that she has to go back,"

I sucked in a deep breath as the truth of his words penetrated my obstinate conviction. I planted my feet and set my jaw. Edward chuckled and pulled me closer to him. "Bella, we all have to go back. You know that. We have been away for too long. If we want to stay here we need to blend in. Carlisle is back at the hospital now and we really need to be getting back to school."

When I refused to meet his eyes by staring resolutely on the fine weaving of the fibres of his cotton button down shirt, he moved his right hand from around my waist and lifted my chin so I had little choice but to look into his now gloriously amber eyes.

"Bella," His soft voice mixed with the effect of his hypnotic gaze melted my insides. I fought hard to stay strong but it was beyond hopeless. "You know I'm right." He said, as his sweet breath blew across my face and destroyed any logical argument that I had to the contrary. Before I knew what I was doing, I heard the words "I know," coming out of my mouth and I watched as a breathtaking grin spread across the flawless plains of his face. He hugged my closer and lifted me off my feet to meet his mouth in a passionate entanglement.

If I had actually needed air, I would have passed out from the effects of that kiss. And when we pulled apart, my vision was hazy although still crystal clear. I scowled at the smile that was still plastered across his face, but also took a bit of pride in the fact that he looked just as moved by the kiss as I felt.

"You know that this means less me and you time. You will have to share me with the rest of the student body." I said to try and make him reconsider, and trying desperately not to turn my statement round on me, for I would also have to share him. That thought had my fists clenching and my teeth grating together. I didn't manage to hide my agitation which in turn nullified the reaction that I had hoped to get from Edward.

"Ahem,"

"Hello Seth," Edward said without letting his eyes leave mine.

"Um, hey, I didn't mean to interrupt, I just… I mean, I was…"

"It's alright Seth; we were just on our way back home."

"Right, ok, cool man. I'm just going to do one last perimeter check and then I'll come and catch up with Jake." He said as he headed back off into the cover of the surrounding vegetation. As his footfall faded, I heard the distinct sound of two strides becoming four as he phased.

Edward took my hand and we continued along at our leisurely pace back to our home. We were about a mile out when the breeze shifted and brought with it something that I had not been prepared for.

Amongst the usual familiar scents of our family and the wolves, was another; a scent altogether different and yet startlingly familiar. Not the scent one would expect to detect so close to a houseful of Vampires with the odd wolf interspersed.

It was human.

My breathing stopped and I looked instinctively up to Edward, who picked up on so much more with his uncanny mind reading ability, but his expression was unreadable. Just as I was about to ask him, the sound of voices filtered through to us and drew my attention back in the direction of the house.

"It was really very kind of you to visit, but everything really is fine." I heard Esme's warm and gentle voice first. "I will let Renesmee's know that you stopped by, but she is resting now and I really don't want to disturb her."

"She must have got it bad. Is everyone else ok? I haven't seen Bella or and of your other kids around either." The second voice carried just above the light breeze, but that coupled with that scent, I knew exactly who it was.

"Tessa?" Renesmee's voice carried over clearing and I couldn't move. I stood staring, open mouthed at Edward, listening to the conversation as it unfolded. "What are you doing here?" Renesmee asked.

"I came to see if you were alright." Tessa Mason's voice was suddenly very unsure.

"I'm fine thank you, much better." Renesmee's tone was kind and must have reassured Tessa as her vocal floodgates were abruptly opened and she began in with a hasty explanation of her actions.

"I thought I was giving you a lift home the other week, but then you didn't show up after school, so I thought you had bailed. Which is fine, by the way, I would have understood. But then when none of you guys showed up the next day, or the day after that or the week after that, for that matter, I got worried, ya know?" Tessa's words strung themselves together as her voice got higher and higher. "It's not like I was watching out for you or anything, I just, well I just noticed you hadn't shown up for a couple of days and I know that you all are new in town, and I didn't know if you were close to anyone else to ask, so I, well, I thought maybe someone ought to stop by and make sure you were all ok. I know that Bella and Edward and your other brothers and sisters were ill the other week and…"

"Tessa, breathe," Renesmee chose that moment to save her from her lengthy story. "I really appreciate you thinking about us. As you can see I am quite well now. And I will be back in school tomorrow."

With this declaration, my irritation won out and before I was aware of what I was doing, I was rounding the corner and coming face to face with the three standing at the front entrance of the house.

Tessa had her back to me and Esme stood protectively next to Renesmee in the doorway, with her arm wrapped around her shoulders. Both caught my movement as I rounded the house and locked eyes with me instantly. Renesmee eyes were slightly wider than usual and she looked almost sheepish, obviously aware that I had heard her last little declaration.

"I think Renesmee, you should head back inside," Esme said in her usual warm way as she gently urged Renesmee back into the house. "We don't want you getting sick again now do we before you start back."

Renesmee broke eye contact with me then as I stood silently just feet behind Tessa. I felt Edwards presence close in on me and a tender but firm hand took hold of mine and began pulling me back slightly.

"Yeah, of course. I'll see you at school tomorrow then I guess?" Tessa said with an uncertain edge to her voice. Clearly she was not convinced that Renesmee would be returning. Well she had that right!

"Bye Tessa," Renesmee called as Esme reached for the front door to close it on our unexpected little guest.

Tessa stood on the front porch for several long seconds when the door finally clicked shut, just staring. Slowly she shook her head.

"Bye Renesmee." She whispered as she began to turn and head down the steps and retreat back to her little white and rusty vehicle. Edward pulled me back to the safety of the side of the house so that we were not in her line of vision. She glanced briefly back up at the house and then got in and started the engine.

Edward followed me then as I dashed around to the back of the house to enter through that way. When we reached the kitchen, everyone seemed to be standing around anxiously watching me. I scowled but breathed beep to calm what I knew was an irrational reaction to an innocent situation.

"Mom, I didn't ask her to come round." Renesmee said as she slid out from behind Esme and Jacob. She was clearly wary of my reaction and this made me more conscious of it myself. I took another deep breath and slowly released it before I forced my face into some sort of semblance of a smile.

"I know Renesmee; it was just a shock to see her, that's all." She visibly relaxed, as did Jacob who was hovering not two steps away. He let out his own pent up breath and closed the distance between them, wrapping his arm around her waist protectively. I couldn't hide the roll of my eyes and he grinned back unrepentant.

"Whoa, what did I miss?" Seth asked as he too joined our little gathering in the kitchen. Jacob chuckled and shook his head.

"Nothing Man, just Bella about to blow her lid,"

"Why, what ya do this time?" I had to laugh as Jacob scowled and threw a dirty look in Seth's direction.

Seth's intrusion and light-hearted banter with Jacob, seemed to clear the air of the tension that had been thick in the air just moments before. He and Jacob continued their exchange as the rest of the room dispersed. I remained where I was and Edward pulled me up close to his chest and rested his chin on the top of my head.

Renesmee moved gingerly out from Jacobs hold and he looked at her cautiously as she approached where Edward and I stood.

"Mom?" she asked in a subdued tone. I looked at her and studied her beautiful features. Her eyes shone brightly and her cream and rose complexion was back to its usual vitality. She was strong and so much like Edward and I. I knew that there would be nothing stopping her when she had her mind set, but I also knew that she would not defy my decision once I had made it. And for that reason, I found it much easier to say what I had not wanted to.

"We'll go back tomorrow." I said as I reached out to stroke her cheek. She beamed at me and threw herself into our embrace.

Out of the corner of my eye I watched as Seth and Jacob moved out of the kitchen towards the front of the house, giving our little hold some time together. I smiled with the contentment of having my daughter safely in my arms and feeling of myself in the arms of my husband. I had everything that I would ever need in that moment and I let the feeling encompass me fully and drown out the rest of the world.

I was only vaguely aware of a muffled commotion growing in the distance of the house. But then my moment of peace was once more interrupted by Emmett bursting in to the kitchen with his usual grace and launching himself onto the counter next to us.

"Hey Ness, your little friend is back out front." He said, focusing solely on me, eager for my reaction. I held still and managed to reign in my irrational pang of nervous anticipation.

"Err, well, open the door Emmett, go see what she wants." Renesmee responded, still keeping her arms tightly wrapped around me.

"Nu-uh, your friend, you answer."

"No worries Ness, I got it." Jacob called from the hall way as Renesmee glowered at Emmett who sat smirking back. Her face turned back to me and then morphed into a mask of worry.

"Jake, No!" She said as she spun out of my arms and darted off in the direction of the front door. "You're not supposed to be here."

Edward and I followed after her but kept out of the line of sight from the front door. We headed round the corner and turned off into the family room off to the right but then stopped when we caught sight out of the other doorway that lead out to hall, of Jacob and Renesmee stood together with undeterminable expressions on their faces. Suddenly Renesmee's face broke into a wide grin, but Jacobs remained stoic.

"Well I guess that's one less worry for us." I herd Edward say from beside me. I looked up in confusion and tried desperately to read his mind. His face was as impassive as Jacobs was but a tiny glimmer of a smile played around the edges of his lips. He met my eyes then and I pleaded silently with him to clarify what in the world was going on with this moment. He smiled tenderly down at me and then just nudged me in the direction of the hall.

My nervous pang changed into full blown nervousness and my anticipation went into overdrive as I rounded the corner to look at what it was that had Jacob so transfixed and Renesmee grinning like all her Christmases had come at once.

My mouth dropped what felt like to the floor as the scene in front of me hit home and its meaning and implications ripped through my world.

Tessa Mason was indeed stood once more at our front door, a folder clasped tightly in her hands and a slightly dazed look on her face. But that was not the full extent of it. Seth held the timber of the front door clutched tightly in his right hand and he stood staring at Tessa with a starkly familiar look of wonderment and awe. He was staring at the seemingly plain girl in the doorway, like she was the sun and the air all in one. Like she was all that was holding in down on this earth. Like she was the world.


	29. Chapter 29

Epilogue

If I had thought our lives had taken enough twists and turns over the years of Edward and I being together, then I was wrong. Clearly the world had more that it could throw our way and it was seemingly intent on doing so. Even with my supernatural vampiric abilities, these things were always going to take me by surprise.

Seth's imprinting on the girl who had haunted my latest high school interlude was one of those little surprises. In truth I was unsure how I felt about it all. My fear that Tessa had somehow deciphered our true identity was really a non-issue now, as Seth would be able to explain all to her if he had not done so already.

Since their unwitting introduction, they had not left each others sight. Tessa seemed just as transfixed by Seth as he did with her, albeit the possessive glint in his eyes was something only witnessed in the eyes of an imprinted wolf.

Tessa stifled a yawn and Seth moved protectively next to her. She smiled up at him through tired eyes. I looked out of the windows at the sun which was once more breaking though the horizon of the trees. Another day was beginning but unlike the day before, this day brought with it a new reality. Not just for Tessa, but for us all.

Whatever it was next that life decided to throw at us, we would be ready and there would be one more in the strange make up of our family to help. Tessa was a part of our world now and her life as well as ours would be forever changed.

**Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read my little story. I hope you have enjoyed reading it as much as I have writing it.**


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